Zimmer to Peterson: Play For Us or Don’t Play At All

The Minnesota Vikings’ no-nonsense head coach Mike Zimmer has clarified the situation about as succinctly as can be for Adrian Peterson: take the field for the Purple & Gold this year, or don’t play a single snap.

NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington made the comments public, tweeting, ‘Zimmer sums it up on Peterson: “He’s really got two choices. He can play for us. Or he can not play.”’

The embattled running back has been very vocal in his criticism of the franchise, which he feels did not adequately support him during the child abuse allegations that plagued him in 2014. As a result, the Teddy Bridgewater era in Minnesota began without the offense’s most potent weapon.

Zimmer doesn’t appear phased though, apparently standing by the front office’s unshakeable determination to keep Peterson on their roster for at least this season.

AP’s contract still has three years and over $40 million on it, but with zero guaranteed money, Peterson may be forced to swallow his pride and accept 2015 as an ‘exhibition’ year, through which he can show his wares and prove he deserves to join a championship contender in 2016.

As he showed through his appearance on Hard Knocks with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013, Zimmer did not become an NFL coach to make friends. His stoic, hard-nosed approach to player demands is refreshing in a modern era packed with reality stars, divas and criminals.

He seems tired of Peterson’s resistance, and while he knows that having the man in helmet and pads makes his team better, Zimmer is no novice when it comes to doing things his own way.