Minnesota Vikings running back
Adrian Peterson will have surgery today to repair two torn
ligaments in his left knee, six days after he was injured in a
win against the Washington Redskins.

Peterson, 26, who is in his fifth season with the Vikings,
was selected for the Pro Bowl in each of his first four National
Football League seasons. He finished this season with 970 yards
rushing, after running for at least 1,298 yards in each
preceding season.

Peterson was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 26, two days
after tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral
ligaments in his left knee. Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman had
said the surgery would take place early in 2012.

“In this case, everything was in place to have the
surgery,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told reporters
yesterday. “He’s anxious to get his surgery done and get
started on his rehab.”

To contact the reporter on this story:
Rob Gloster in San Francisco at
rgloster@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at
msillup@bloomberg.net

The athletic abilities of star running back Adrian Peterson led
the Minnesota Vikings to give him a seven-year, $100 million
contract extension before the season started.

Now, they hope his recuperative abilities are just as good and
he is able to live up to being the highest-paid running back in the
NFL.

Minnesota expects Peterson to be recovered from left knee
surgery for two torn ligaments in time to start the 2012
season.

“We expect most people to recover from this injury in eight to
nine months and instead of comparing Adrian to any other player at
any level that’s had an anterior cruciate ligament, and they happen
every day, I would really like Adrian to stand on his own merit
because Adrian, I feel, is very unique,” Vikings head trainer Eric
Sugarman said Monday.

“Adrian has a great work ethic. Adrian has the DNA to heal
quickly, which he has shown in the past. He certainly will have the
desire and the mental toughness to be able to get through the rehab
process, which will take months and months, as you know. So, I
think if anyone can get better quickly and safely in that time
period, it would be Adrian Peterson.”

Peterson tore his ACL and MCL when he was hit in the side of the
knee by Washington Redskins safety DeJon Gomes in the third quarter
of Saturday’s 33-26 win at Washington. An MRI on Saturday evening
revealed the ligament tears and meniscus damage, and Peterson will
undergo surgery within the next seven to 10 days.

Backup Toby Gerhart, who started three games earlier this season
when Peterson was out with a high ankle sprain, will start Sunday
in the season-finale against the Chicago Bears. A second-round pick
in 2010, Gerhart has filled in well for Peterson and notched the
first 100-yard rushing game of his career with 109 yards on 11
carries Saturday. But the Vikings expect Gerhart’s time as the
starter to be short-lived.

“He sets his goals extremely high and he’s one of those guys
who, when he puts his mind to it, there’s no reason to ever doubt
that he can achieve what he sets his mind to,” Minnesota coach
Leslie Frazier said of Peterson. “We’re looking forward to his
attacking this rehab like he’s attacked every offseason, to come
back and play and be even better than he was before. I know with
Eric and our medical staff, they’re going to do everything they can
to get him back on the field and ready to go when we line up in
that first football game next season.”

Gerhart’s emergence over the past month at least offers optimism
if Peterson has to miss extended time next season.

Gerhart has had the top three rushing days of his career in the
past four weeks. On his first carry after Peterson left Saturday’s
game, Gerhart showed some big-play ability of his own, busting free
for a 67-yard run, the longest of his short career.

Believing Peterson will be ready for the first game of 2012 and
knowing Gerhart is available if needed, Frazier said the team
wouldn’t change its run-first offensive approach.

“One of things about Adrian’s absence earlier in the season, we
had a chance to get Toby some extended snaps and we really haven’t
altered the offense by any means,” Frazier said. “Toby has done a
very good job in Adrian’s absence. Did a great job (Saturday) of
stepping in and performing and rushing for over 100 yards. So we
really haven’t had to alter things. We really don’t plan to. We
look forward to eventually getting Adrian back on the field, but we
don’t think we have to really alter the offense.”

Minnesota expects Peterson to be recovered from left knee surgery for two torn ligaments in time to start the 2012 season.

“We expect most people to recover from this injury in eight to nine months and instead of comparing Adrian to any other player at any level that’s had an anterior cruciate ligament, and they happen every day, I would really like Adrian to stand on his own merit because Adrian, I feel, is very unique,” Vikings head trainer Eric Sugarman said Monday.

“Adrian has a great work ethic. Adrian has the DNA to heal quickly, which he has shown in the past. He certainly will have the desire and the mental toughness to be able to get through the rehab process, which will take months and months, as you know. So, I think if anyone can get better quickly and safely in that time period, it would be Adrian Peterson.”

Peterson tore his ACL and MCL when he was hit in the side of the knee by Washington Redskins safety DeJon Gomes in the third quarter of Saturday’s 33-26 win at Washington. An MRI on Saturday evening revealed the ligament tears and meniscus damage, and Peterson will undergo surgery within the next seven to 10 days.

Backup Toby Gerhart, who started three games earlier this season when Peterson was out with a high ankle sprain, will start Sunday in the season-finale against the Chicago Bears. A second-round pick in 2010, Gerhart has filled in well for Peterson and notched the first 100-yard rushing game of his career with 109 yards on 11 carries Saturday. But the Vikings expect Gerhart’s time as the starter to be short-lived.

“He sets his goals extremely high and he’s one of those guys who, when he puts his mind to it, there’s no reason to ever doubt that he can achieve what he sets his mind to,” Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier said of Peterson. “We’re looking forward to his attacking this rehab like he’s attacked every offseason, to come back and play and be even better than he was before. I know with Eric and our medical staff, they’re going to do everything they can to get him back on the field and ready to go when we line up in that first football game next season.”

Gerhart’s emergence over the past month at least offers optimism if Peterson has to miss extended time next season.

Gerhart has had the top three rushing days of his career in the past four weeks. On his first carry after Peterson left Saturday’s game, Gerhart showed some big-play ability of his own, busting free for a 67-yard run, the longest of his short career.

Believing Peterson will be ready for the first game of 2012 and knowing Gerhart is available if needed, Frazier said the team wouldn’t change its run-first offensive approach.

“One of things about Adrian’s absence earlier in the season, we had a chance to get Toby some extended snaps and we really haven’t altered the offense by any means,” Frazier said. “Toby has done a very good job in Adrian’s absence. Did a great job (Saturday) of stepping in and performing and rushing for over 100 yards. So we really haven’t had to alter things. We really don’t plan to. We look forward to eventually getting Adrian back on the field, but we don’t think we have to really alter the offense.”

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Read More: Joe Webb (QB – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings at Washington Redskins, Dec 24, 2011 12:00 PM CST

The Minnesota Vikings spent their first round draft pick on Christian Ponder last year, but the team’s past couple of games are apparently making the coaching staff re-think that decision. The reason being, of course, that Joe Webb may have been the quarterback of the future all along.

Webb was selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, but has been looked at as more of a gadget guy who can provide different looks rather than a prototypical quarterback. His ability to lead a second Vikings comeback in as many appearances has apparently made head coach Leslie Frazier re-think that, however, according to statements made to 1500 ESPN.

“Some of the things he does, man, and what it does to the rest of our team — you can’t ignore it,” Frazier said after Webb led three touchdown drives in relief of injured Christian Ponder and the Vikings beat the Washington Redskins 33-26.

“It’s something we’re going to take a real hard look at as we go forward. He definitely lifts our team. He’s done it. He did it a season ago as well.”

Few fans will be happy if Webb earns the starting spot over Ponder heading into next season — though that’ll be more due to the drafting of Ponder than the starting of Webb — but it’ll be worth keeping an eye on as Minnesota continues looking forward to next season.