Minnesota Vikings

This Adrian Peterson stat will make you realize how great he is

Published Feb. 10, 2016 11:15 a.m. ET

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Cameron DaSilva

When it's all said and done, Adrian Peterson will probably go down as a top-10 running back, if not one of the five best. His 11,675 career rushing yards are 17th all-time and he's seemingly got plenty of gas left in the tank.

After sitting out most of the 2014 season, Peterson returned in 2015 to pick up right where he left off. Not only did he lead the NFL in carries with 327, but he also had the most rushing yards (1,485) and tied for the league lead with 11 touchdowns on the ground.

While those numbers are obviously staggering after essentially taking a year off, this one particular statistic will put into perspective how outstanding he is. In his career, Peterson has racked up 7,339 yards after contact. Incredibly, that number would put him ninth among active running backs in total rushing yards.

Via Pro Football Focus:

While it probably doesn't need to be said, that's ridiculous. Arian Foster, Jamaal Charles and DeMarco Murray all have fewer career rushing yards than Peterson has yards after contact. "All Day" has always been known for his tackle-breaking ability, but that number makes it even more evident.

There's little doubt he's the best running back in the game right now. It's just a matter of him staying healthy and continuing to dominate the position for another five years or so. 

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