Vikings owner Zygi Wilf didn’t say much about Adrian Peterson for months, after initially saying it was a “mistake” to activate him following his arrest on child abuse charges.
But Wilf said Wednesday he trusted Peterson’s character.
“He’s always had a good heart,” Wilf said, via Chris Thomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “He’s a great football player. We have great memories, and we’ll continue to have good memories with him. ... He’s been great for the community, and that’s basically who he is, and when you know that’s the character of that person, you believe in him.”
But after months of rancor and lawsuits and paid suspensions, Wilf said it was best for all parties to “move on.”
“We know that his excitement and his heart will make this team better, and you can see it by the other players who respond to him, and that’s why we’re very excited,” Wilf said. “That and everything that’s going on with the team gives us tremendous optimism going into the future.”
Wilf’s excitement about having Peterson back was clear, and led him to suggest they’re a Super Bowl contender as well.
And after so many months of tightrope-walking and breath-holding, it’s reasonable for him to feel better about having football to talk about at all.