Cardinals
Peterson pushed the Cardinals to trade him prior to the trade deadline and it went public when ESPN’s Adam Schefter, citing league sources, tweeted that “Peterson feels as if the situation is deteriorating and continues to reaffirm to others that he ‘desperately’ wants out.”
Peterson walked back the trade request three days later, first with a statement through social media, then by meeting with reporters later that same day.
“It came at a bad time and I was just frustrated,” he said at the time. “You see the record.”
Peterson had a 30-minute meeting with Cardinals President Michael Bidwill to clear the air and apparently, Peterson got assurances from Bidwill about making sure the team put a winning product on the field. Peterson also said he was looking forward to being a leader of the franchise “for years to come.”
That comment was brought up to Sanders on Thursday by “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith. Sanders, however, shot it down.
“That was business, man. That was business,” he said. “He knew he couldn’t get out. He’s trying to escape. Trust me. I know.”
Peterson was asked about those comments later in the day after the Cardinals’ finished practice in advance of their game Sunday against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Initially, he playfully tried to dodge the question by saying how impressed he is with Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams before finally saying with a laugh, “You can’t control what’s coming out of Deion’s mouth.”
Asked if ever thought about calling Sanders and telling him to be quiet, Peterson said, “Hey, he’s doing his job. That’s his job to answer questions and I guess that’s how he felt and what he said. I had nothing to do with that. I’m focusing on the Arizona Cardinals and putting together a great game plan for this game coming up.”
Just then, teammate Larry Fitzgerald crashed Peterson’s interview session and began trading friendly jabs with the cornerback. As soon as Fitzgerald walked out of the room, Peterson got rather poignant.
“I want to follow in that man’s shoes,” he said of Fitzgerald. “He’s been here forever, 15 years, and has been a cornerstone of this Arizona Cardinals’ organization. I feel like I’m next in line, so we’ll see what happens.”
Someone asked Peterson if he thought that would be special – to spend his entire career with the Cardinals like Fitzgerald has done to this point.
“Oh, no doubt said.
“It definitely would be special and what would be even more special would be to get us that championship here in the desert. That’s what my main focus is. When I got picked fifth overall (in 2011) that’s something I wanted to bring to this city. That’s still my goal. That’s still the end result that I’m looking for here as an Arizona Cardinal.”
Told of those comments, Fitzgerald acted surprised.
“I mean Deion said he’s going somewhere else, man,” Fitzgerald said, smiling. “I don’t know, he’s got to stay here first.
“But no, Pat is well on his way. You talk about the Aeneas Williams’s and the Roger Wehrli’s, the All-Pro, Hall of Fame-caliber players, I mean Patrick I that. He’s an unbelievable ambassador for this team and the community. He represents himself with his wife and daughter, he’s what you look for in a football player. Not only on the field, but off the field. We’re very fortunate to have him here contributing and doing what he’s always done for this team and I hope that’s for years to come.
“Him and David (Johnson) and Josh (Rosen), they are the franchise players right now and this organization is in great hands with guys like that in leadership roles.” about it,” Peterson