Adrian Peterson … As a Coach?
K. Joudry
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By the time it’s all said and done, Adrian Peterson will be remembered as one of the greatest football players of all time. Not running backs, players. He’s remarkably gifted, and his work ethic is second to none. It’s these attributes that allow him to climb the all-time rankings. Obviously, AP isn’t without his shortcomings, though the football portion of the debate has long been settled: he’s a generational talent. What would happen, though, if Adrian Peterson tries to become a NFL coach?
Well, there are some rumblings that it may occur.
Adrian Peterson is currently a Seahawk, and his coach – Pete Carroll – thinks he could make the transition: “There are a lot of things that he can do in the world, he doesn’t have to be a ball coach, but he certainly would have a chance to be a great one.”
For a while, I was a big Peterson fan. His 296-yard performance against San Diego was incredible, and I felt privileged to watch that game. Even still, I’m not sure if things would work out as a coach.
When I think of a former player becoming a great coach, I think of career backup QBs. Those are the players who had to flex their intellectual muscles to a massive degree. They’re often relied on as the sober second thought for the QB during the game, breaking down the good and bad alongside the starter. In Minnesota’s case, Sean Mannion is the QB2 largely because he helps Cousins study and prepare. Don’t be shocked if Mannion can someday turn that background into the foundation of a successful coaching career.
Growing up, I was taught that the true greats struggled to coach. Things come easier to Peyton Manning than, say, Case Keenum. Players like Keenum can relate to most since they’ve had to grind and work throughout their career. That’s not to say that Manning is lazy, it’s merely the fact that it can be difficult for the truly top-tier players to relate to the game’s ho-hum players. Exceptions exist (Deion Sanders seems to be doing alright as a college coach) but I do think that general rules applies.
Adrian Peterson may go on to coach someday, but don’t expect it to happen anytime soon. As Carroll suggests, Peterson is still looking to play. His chances are limited at this stage in his career, and yet Peterson has never been shy about pursuing his goals. Expect him to keep pursuing a playing career for at least a couple more years.
Afterwards, we may have to start referring to him as Coach Peterson.
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