Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a torn meniscus is his right knee. Photo / Twitter.
Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a torn meniscus is his right knee, the club confirmed on Monday.
Peterson hobbled off the field during Sunday's win (US time) over the Green Bay Packers after falling awkwardly near the end of the third quarter.
While the injury was bad enough for NFL fans watching on TV, things got downright bizarre when Peterson left the playing arena.
His next stop? A weird detour through a restaurant.
Peterson's injury came in the very first use of Minnesota's new $1.1 billion US Bank Stadium. The stadium features a field-level restaurant/bar, through which the walkway to the players' locker room winds.
As Peterson left the arena propped up by two Vikings staffers, he was hobbling his way past patrons who couldn't help but stare at the hurt megastar, who is currently contracted to Minnesota for $42 million over three years.
The players tunnel layout seemed geared toward getting fans closer to the stars in a new, exciting way. However, some US media gave the design quirk a big thumbs down after Peterson had to run the gauntlet hurt.
"That really isn't a great look. There's a valid question of why Peterson wasn't carried into the locker room on a cart, too, but that still would require passage through a buffet full of intoxicated patrons. (If the design doesn't allow for players to be carted off, well, that makes this even worse)," SB Nation's Tim Cato wrote.
"Peterson's injury was bad, but what about the first time there's a neck injury at the stadium, or anything equally serious?"
For The Win's Andrew Joseph wrote: "One would think that there had to be a more direct route to the locker room. There has to be.
"US Bank Stadium isn't the first stadium to have the entrance through a bar or club level, but it just seemed odd to watch an injured player have to make turns and maneuver his way to the locker room in that setting."
Fans were also up in arms about Peterson's strange walk back to the locker room.
US Bank Stadium, a 73,000-capacity venue, opened in July. It is nearly twice as big as the Vikings' previous home ground (the Metrodome) and it's main features are a space-age plastic roof and the world's largest set off operable glass doors at one end, giving the indoor stadium (which protects fans from Minnesota's bitter cold) the feel of an outdoor venue thanks to the influx of natural light.
Yet for one weird moment yesterday, the stadium made noise with fans for the wrong reason.
The 31-year-old Peterson underwent an MRI scan which found a tear in his right meniscus, dealing a further injury blow to the Vikings, who lost star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to a season-ending knee injury last month.
"He's got a torn meniscus," said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who declined to put a timetable on Peterson's possible recovery. "We're going through the evaluation process."
Zimmer said he was confident his team would recover after what is another devastating blow to their offensive unit.
"We're not going to be the only team in the league to have injuries. It's just part of professional football," Zimmer said.
"This is a pretty resilient football team. They're tough and determined." Peterson, who missed almost the entire 2014 season after being accused of assaulting his four-year-old son, returned to football last year to top the single-season rushing standings.
He became only the third man over 30 to top the standings after rushing for 1,485 yards over 16 games, averaging 4.5 yards per carry.
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