Peterson's timeline
2004: Set an NCAA freshman record by rushing for 1,925 yards at Oklahoma, becoming a unanimous first-team All-America.
2007: Selected seventh overall by the Vikings; scouts questioned his durability after he suffered shoulder, collarbone and ankle injuries during his three seasons at Oklahoma.
Nov. 4, 2007: Set an NFL record for rushing yards in a game (296) against San Diego. Finished his rookie season with 1,341 rushing yards, winning Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl MVP honors.
2008: Led the NFL in rushing with 1,760 yards; his 30-game total of 3,101 yards trailed only Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown.
December 2009: Was cited for speeding by Edina police, who clocked him at 109 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone.
2009: After the arrival of Brett Favre, Peterson's rushing yardage dropped to 1,383, but he caught a career-high 43 passes for 436 yards.
Oct. 17, 2010: Went over the 5,000-yard rushing milestone — he was the fifth-fastest to that mark in history — in a 24-21 victory over Dallas at the Metrodome.
Sept. 10, 2011: Signed a $96 million, seven-year contract, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
Dec. 24, 2011: Suffered a serious knee injury against Washington that required surgery; he failed to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career, playing in only 12 games.
July 2012: He was charged with resisting arrest outside a nightclub in Houston, not far from his offseason home. Peterson and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, disputed the Houston police's version of events, and a grand jury declined to indict him.
2012: Eight months after major knee surgery, Peterson started in Week 1 and went on to win NFL MVP honors, rushing for 2,097 yards. He finished 9 yards short of breaking Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing mark of 2,105 yards set in 1984.
October, 2013: Tyrese Ruffin, a 2-year-old son Peterson did not know about until a few months before, was killed in Sioux Falls, S.D. Joseph Robert Patterson, the boyfriend of Ruffin's mother, was sentenced to life in prison for the child's murder.
2013: Ran 78 yards for a TD on his first carry but saw his rushing yardage drop to 1,266 while playing in only 14 games.
Sept. 13, 2014: Peterson surrendered to Montgomery County, Texas, authorities after being charged with child abuse. The Vikings had ruled the previous day that the star running back would be inactive and not play against New England.
Sept. 15, 2014: The Vikings announced that they were reinstating Peterson and that he would play in this Sunday's game at New Orleans.
Sept. 17, 2014: With corporate sponsors, politicians and fans voicing outrage over Peterson's return, the Vikings reversed field and announced that Peterson had been placed on the exempt/commissioner's permission list. In short, Peterson is banned from contact with the team while he focuses on his personal problems but will get paid.
Oct. 9, 2014: Texas prosecutors file a motion seeking to revoke his bond and have him jailed after Peterson admitted to county employee before a urine test that he had smoked "a little weed." The motion was ultimately dropped as part of a plea agreement.
Nov. 14, 2014: Peterson skips a meeting with NFL officials; the running back subsequently accused the NFL of lying and adopting a "new process of discipline" in his case.
Nov. 18, 2014: The NFL announces that Peterson will be suspended for the rest of the season. The running back said he will appeal the decision.
Dec. 12, 2014: Arbitrator Harold Henderson upholds Peterson's suspension.
March 23, 2015: Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, said, "I don't think it's in Adrian's best interest to play in Minnesota. Why would it be?"
March 25, 2015: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said, "We have no plans to trade Adrian."
April 16, 2015: Peterson is reinstated by the NFL, which also warned him to continue his counseling and not to step out of line again.
May 27, 2015: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Peterson has two choices: "Play for the Vikings or do not play this season."
May 28. 2015: Peterson complains about his contract situation on Twitter.
Nov 15, 2015: Rushes for 203 yards against the Raiders, including an 80-yard touchdown, tying O.J. Simpson for most 200-yard games in NFL history (6).
Jan. 3, 2016: Finishes the regular season with a league-high 327 carries for 1,485 yards and 11 TDs
Sept. 18, 2016: Peterson tears the meniscus in his right knee after rushing for 19 yards in the first game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Dec. 18, 2016: One day after being reinstated from injured reserve, Peterson rushes six times for 22 yards and a fumble against the Colts. His final carry: a 4-yard run on the third play of the second half.
Dec. 30, 2016: Peterson is ruled out for the season finale against the Bears.
Feb. 28, 2017: Vikings announce they won't exercise the $18 million option on Peterson's 2017 contract, meaning he will become a free agent unless both parties work out a deal.
March 16, 2017: Vikings sign Latavius Murray, and GM Rick Spielman confirms Peterson will not be with Minnesota.