Adrian Peterson broke from his relative silence about his standing with the Minnesota Vikings with a series of tweets Thursday.
A day after Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer reiterated the team's stance that it would not trade Peterson and that he would play for the Vikings and no one else, Peterson decided to share his thoughts on Twitter (@AdrianPeterson) regarding the ongoing disconnect between the team and its star running back.
Peterson, 30, is under contract for three more seasons as part of a six-year contract extension he signed in 2011 making him the league's highest paid running back. Peterson is due $12.75 million in base salary in 2015 but has no guaranteed money remaining on the contract.
"I love people who think they know it all! Smh, Research how many NFL teams hasn't honored a player's contract & learn something," Peterson wrote.
He continued to express his feelings. "Question for the people, is a contract two sided or one?
"Ok great two sided! Well why when one party decides . . . Mr. ? we wan't you to take a pay cut now or better yet flat out release you!
"There's never no talk about honoring a contract!
"I know hundreds of player's that wished their team would've HONORED the contract! But instead got threw to the side like like trash."
Peterson, the 2012 NFL MVP who played in just one game last season because of child abuse charges, has decided to stay away from the Minnesota's organized team activities this week as part of his battle against the team.
Zimmer said Wednesday he wasn't concerned or worried about Peterson missing OTAs and that he wasn't sure when Peterson would show up. But Zimmer remained steadfast that the team wouldn't trade or release the franchise's all-time leading rusher.
"It's really not my place to figure out what he's not saying publicly or saying publicly or what anybody else is saying," Zimmer said Wednesday. "It's more about really about the guys that are our here. He's really got two choices. He can either play for us or he can not play. He's not going to play for anybody else and that's just the way it's going to be."
On Twitter, Peterson continued his thoughts, sending out 10 tweets in a 36-minute span. The Vikings appear willing to pay Peterson his 2015 salary but the running back might be concerned about the final two years as he ages and doesn't have any guarantees. Peterson is set to be paid $31.5 million in base salary over the final two years of the deal, which Minnesota could move on from without any dead money to the team's salary cap.
He added: "A lill crazy how one side has so much power that they can do as they please when it come to the contract! But when the other-side (player's)
"Feels for whatever reason! Family, Change of scenery or simply - what they feels just might work best for them! Those same laws don't apply!
"It's all about honoring you're contract! Sounds like free will is being a lil challenged to me!
"All I'm saying as a Minnesota Viking player! WE need the same power to do as all 32 teams do we they feel, under contract or not!
"It's time for a change! Then again I'm grateful because at the end of the day, I know some of those same guys that wish a team held on!"
Later on Thursday evening, Peterson returned to Twitter to add some clarity to his earlier remarks.
In a series of tweets, Peterson wrote: "To clarify, since analysts & everyone else have the answers to what place in MY Heart this "rant" came from . . .
"This is not against the Vikings. I am just frustrated that our union did not get guaranteed contracts for its players.
"NFL players deserve guaranteed contacts like Our NBA and MLB brothers.
"Owners have the right to release players, at will, without honoring their contracts.
"However, players do not have the luxury of saying that they want out of their contract. And I won't even get into the franchise tag convo
"#PlayersUnion #TogetherAchangeWillcome"
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