Getty Adrian Peterson celebrates a Lions score on Thanksgiving.
The Detroit Lions lost a football game on Thanksgiving Day, but that contest was only one small part of the broader mission for Adrian Peterson.
While Peterson and his teammates were not thrilled with the 41-25 loss to the Houston Texans, there were some other numbers that prove to be more important than those found in the box score. Peterson pledged to donate meals for every touchdown scored by himself as well as the Lions. Thankfully, Peterson got into the end zone a pair times and the Lions scored once themselves, which led to 105,000 total meals being donated by the end of the game.
Numbers like that prove why Peterson was such a savvy addition for the Lions. Folks might be frustrated with how the season is going on the field for the team, but there is absolutely no debating the impact Peterson has had. He’s been a valuable player for the Lions to have in their locker room to mentor D’Andre Swift and now help provide a helping hand in the community as well.
Adrian Peterson: Detroit Is ‘Family’
Following the game, Peterson acknowledged the team would have liked to get the win most of all, but even he couldn’t ignore the larger message and the good deeds he was able to do. As Peterson said, he was thankful and happy to be able to help out, and is very happy to be calling Detroit home since it his his family now.
Lions fans love players who come into the mix and embrace not only the team but the city as well. To this end, Peterson has been a phenomenal addition to the Lions. He’s only been in town a matter of months but already, he feels like a special part of the city which has embraced him.
This feels like the beginning of a special love affair between Peterson and Detroit which will last a long time.
Adrian Peterson’s Career Accolades
Throughout his 14-year pro career, Peterson has been one of the more productive backs in football, so it’s not a surprise to see him setting more marks and handing out the hardware as a result. The 2012 NFL MVP stuck with the Minnesota Vikings from 2007-2016, then landed with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals and finally in Washington for the past two seasons before landing in Detroit. Peterson is a lock to be in the Hall of Fame shortly after his playing days end. The former Oklahoma Sooner is also a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro runner.
This season for the Lions, Peterson hasn’t exploded for the type of numbers he is accustomed to in the past, but he’s still proven very quietly effective. Thus far in 2020, Peterson has put up 444 yards and 4 touchdowns thus far. If Swift continues to struggle with his health, Peterson could be in line to see even more work in the coming weeks that might add to this total.
Even in spite of all this success through the years and now, the best statistic Peterson has to his credit are the donations to those in need. To that end, he’s been a blessing in the Motor City.
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