During the month of July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will determine which three players deserve to be considered the faces of each franchise. For this series, we will only consider active players. In this edition, the Minnesota Vikings are the focus.
Faces of the Minnesota Vikings
Teddy Bridgewater
Entering his second season with the team as the undisputed starter at quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater had the weight of the franchise thrust upon him in Week 3 of last season. After being selected 32nd overall in the 2014 draft, it was expected that the quarterback would sit most of the season behind incumbent starter Matt Cassel and when the time was right, Bridgewater would have star running back Adrian Peterson to rely on. Little did the Vikings know that Peterson would only play one game before being placed on the Commissioner’s exemption list and Matt Cassel would break his ankle in the Week 3 game against the New Orleans Saints.
While Bridgewater did not win his first outing against the Saints, he did throw for 150 yards and had a completion percentage of 60%. He would go on to throw for 2,919 yards and 14 touchdowns. While these aren’t stellar numbers, Bridgewater represents hope for the future. As the season progressed, his completion percentages improved and in the final five weeks he averaged 72% completion, placing him in the top end of the league in quarterback completions.
The quarterback position has not looked so stable since Daunte Culpepper (2000-2005). Bridgewater makes all the right moves off the field too, coming across as slightly geeky with his quiet demeanor and use of the Madden game series to memorize his playbook. Just before Bridgewater was drafted, he followed through on a promise he made to his mother while she battled breast cancer, presenting her with a pink Cadillac. More recently, Bridgewater surprised Louisville native and fan, Ashley Davis, by taking her to her junior high school prom.
Adrian Peterson
As discussed above, Adrian Peterson’s image became tarnished due to off-field issues that occurred in 2014. These issues related to child endangerment of his four-year-old son. These actions are well documented, as is the fallout that occurred. I will spare you a recap. Peterson lost many fans and some questioned if he should ever play in the NFL or for Minnesota again.
Since returning to the team on June 2nd for organized team activities, Peterson has put in every effort to mend fences. Holding a joint press conference with head coach Mike Zimmer, where he apologized to his son, the team and fans, he is also meeting up with teammates during the offseason for training sessions and to improve chemistry with players like Mike Wallace and Teddy Bridgewater. This dedication to the team has been rewarded with a reworking of Petersons contract, giving him $20 million in guaranteed money over the next two seasons.
There is no denying that Peterson is one of the greatest running backs to play the game. The 2012 NFL MVP fell just eight yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s rushing record of 2,105 yards in one season. At 30 years old, the age when running backs traditionally start to drop in production, many analysts have Peterson in the top three rushers for the 2015 season. If history has shown us anything, it is never to underestimate the drive and focus of Adrian Peterson.
Chad Greenway
The old dog of the Minnesota Vikings defense, Greenway is entering what is most likely his last year with the team. The 17th overall pick in the 2006 draft, Greenway has been a fixture at linebacker since 2007, following a lost rookie campaign to a torn ACL. Greenway ended a streak of 115 continuous games started in Week 4 of the 2014 season after breaking his hand and three ribs.
Greenway has led the team in tackles in seven of the last eight years, failing to retain his title in 2014 due to said injury. At 32 years old, age has caught up to the linebacker and he was asked to restructure his contract during the 2015 offseason, making the 2015 season his final year under contract. Following a serious rebuild on the defensive side of the ball, Greenway has been retained for his leadership more than his athletic ability, helping players like Anthony Barr and rookie Eric Kendricks develop into future stars.
Greenway established the Chad Greenway Lead the Way Foundation in 2008. Its main aim is to provide seriously ill and physically challenged children throughout the Twin Cities with daily support and life-changing experiences; it has raised over $1.3 million since its inception. Greenway launched the “More Than Words” Campaign with the help of Vikings blog sites earlier this month. This campaign’s goal is to raise money to restock lockers located in hospitals around the city with equipment to help more than 300,000 people. Greenway was awarded the NFLPA’s highest charitable honor, the Byron “Whizzer” White Award, in 2015. He was also shortlisted for the 1st annual “Walter Payton Man of the Year Award” and was awarded with the Vikings’ “Community Man of the Year Award” for the second time in 2014.
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