The Vikings have acknowledged that running back Adrian Peterson has a torn meniscus. In the aftermath of the news that he’ll have surgery to repair the problem and could miss the next three or four months, ESPN has reported that Peterson also has a torn lateral collateral ligament (known as an LCL) in his knee.
The only problem? A member of the local media covering the team on a regular basis reports that the ESPN report of a torn LCL is “false.”
That’s the word from Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: No torn LCL for Peterson.
It’s unclear whether an LCL tear did or didn’t happen will alter Peterson’s anticipated return date. Obviously, however, the less that needs to be done to the knee during surgery, the lower the chance of infection or other complications that would delay his return to 100 percent.