Vikings veterans Peterson and Greenway share a 'weird connection'
Linebacker Chad Greenway and running back Adrian Peterson are two of the longest-tenured members of the Minnesota Vikings. Greenway was a first-round draft pick out of Iowa in 2006 (17th overall); the Vikings picked Peterson out of Oklahoma the following year (seventh overall).
Over the years, Greenway and Peterson have forged a connection. With young players coming up all the time, vying for playing time, the veteran Vikings often assess each other's play and work together to stay on top of their game.
Greenway opened up about his relationship with Peterson, via ESPN's Ben Goessling.
We have a sort of relationship that you can’t buy. I just think that when he looks to me he wants an honest assessment of what he’s doing and how he’s doing. I try to be honest with him, and I just thought he didn’t look like himself yet. I thought he needed to get his legs under him. I thought this week in practice was the first time it looked like the Adrian that I remembered. I kept saying he was getting old and close to 30, or 30 by now.
I just try to stay on him just to keep him working, keep him driving. He’s a guy that’s obviously going to work, and he wants to get back to where he was. I think it probably took a little bit of time, but a couple of the runs he made [Sunday] looked pretty impressive to me and the things he was doing. I think he’s starting to feel a lot more comfortable out there.
Peterson's newest son, Axyl, was born the morning of Minnesota's win over the San Diego Chargers in Week 3. In that game, Greenway had a 91-yard interception return touchdown and Peterson racked up 126 rushing yards, scoring twice.
Peterson commented on the overall emotion of the day and the "weird connection" he has with his longtime teammate.
"We’ve been through ups and downs together. We have this weird connection that I can't even explain," Peterson said, per ESPN. "To see him perform and make a big play like that -- 91 yards. To add on to how special today began, I couldn’t ask for anything more."
