Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was arrested early Friday morning in the Minneapolis area on drunken driving charges, according to Hennepin County (Minn.) jail records.
The 40-year-old had appeared at the Vikings’ 2025 NFL draft party at U.S. Bank Stadium hours earlier as Minnesota celebrated the selection of Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson with the No. 24 pick.
Peterson’s bail was set at $4,000, which he already posted. The former NFL MVP was received into custody at 5:16 a.m local time and was released about two hours later on Friday. Peterson has a court appearance scheduled for May 9 and the DWI charge is considered a misdemeanor.
The Minnesota State Patrol told multiple outlets that Peterson was pulled over at 3:20 a.m. Friday morning when a state trooper stopped a vehicle that was speeding on a road in Richfield, Minnesota. Peterson was driving 83 mph in a 55-mph zone and blew an alcohol concentration of 0.14 during a breath test, according to law enforcement.
The Palastine, Texas native has been involved in several previous legal issues over the years related to child abuse, domestic violence and financial problems.
Peterson was the Vikings’ first-round pick in 2007 and spent 10 seasons with the team. He won NFL MVP in 2012 and led the league in rushing three times while playing in Minnesota. He last played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks during the 2021 season. He was still hoping to return to the league as recently as 2023.
