Detroit Lions running back Adrian Peterson is on pace to do something that has only happened twice in NFL history — rush for 1,000 yards at age 35.
Peterson leads the Lions as well as all NFL running backs aged 30 and over with 209 yards through three games while averaging nearly 5 yards per carry.
When watching the future Hall-of-Famer on film this week, New Orleans players and coaches couldn't help but be impressed by how the one-time Saint is performing.
"I mean, we talk all the time about the quarterbacks when we're referencing Drew (Brees) or we're referencing Tom Brady," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "I think he's in that same discussion relative to how he trains, takes care of his body.
"Especially at that position, it's extremely rare. All three of those players we just referenced, they're first ballot Hall of Famers someday, but that it's very impressive."
There are currently only 14 running backs in the NFL that are 30 or older to have played a snap this season and only four of those have gained at least 100 yards and the only on pace for a 1,000 yard season is Peterson. Only Washington's John Riggins, who rushed for 1,239 yards in 1984, and Pittsburgh's John Henry Johnson who tallied 1,048 yards in 1964 have hit the mark at Peterson's age.
"He still has the juice," Saints linebacker Alex Anzalone said. "He's a really good player. The perception of him is, he's an older running back in the league. But I really don't see a misstep in his game."
Anzalone fondly recalled the brief stint he and Peterson were teammates and said he remembers the 6-foot-2, 220-pound running back as a "good dude."
"I remember coming here my rookie year and when I first got drafted and I think they just signed Adrian Peterson. And I was like, 'oh man, I am about to meet him," Anzalone recalled.
Current Saints star running back Alvin Kamara recalls the star being very helpful during his rookie season.
"Shoot, I was a rookie coming in and playing with one of the greatest running backs of all time, arguably so," Kamara said. "I was just like, trying to soak up as much as I could. And he was an open book.
"He just used to give me just, little knowledge about you know, the game. But just mostly how to navigate like, as a man, while you're playing this game. Just little things that I think, you know, it's like intangible things that kind of stuck with me when I was playing with AP, one of the greatest."
Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas described Peterson as a class act and said he's followed Peterson's games even after he left the Saints. And said he's looking forward to seeing Peterson.
"Hopefully, he doesn’t have too much production on Sunday," Thomas said with a laugh. "But I’m a fan of Adrian and have respect for what he does for our game as well as what did for the Saints.”
