The Vikings were in the middle of a heated debate over their handling of former star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and his mental health in the locker room last week.
Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback and Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson said the team had a “troubling” situation with Bridgewater after he left the team last month.
Peterson told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that the Vikings’ decision to let Bridgewater walk, despite the team’s own concerns, was “outrageous.”
“I’m sure some people were upset,” Peterson said.
“It was a lot of pressure, especially when you look back and you look at what he did and the way that he handled it and how he handled his time here.
And we’re going to be looking at that and I don’t think we’re ever going to forget that.”
Peterson also told Anderson that he believes that Bridgewater’s mental health issues were exacerbated by the Vikings trying to keep him on the team despite his struggles.
“They tried to push him off,” Peterson told Anderson.
“I think that they’re really upset that he left, that he had to leave.
But they also tried to get him to stay here.
He got here, he’s a professional football player.
I’m sure they’re frustrated with him.
And I think there was a very difficult decision made.”
The Vikings fired head coach Mike Zimmer, but it was not clear how many players would be released during the process.
But Peterson was willing to speculate that Bridgewater may have left because the team didn’t want him in the building anymore.
“If they’re not happy with him here, I’m not sure how happy they’d be with him in Minnesota,” Peterson continued.
“And I think the Vikings have a lot to answer for.
I think it was a bad decision, a very bad decision.
I don`t know how much of a reason that they made it.”
The Minnesota Vikings will hold their annual press conference on Wednesday.
