Adrian Peterson’s post-NFL career continues to be messy with the latest development featuring a Houston judge ruling he must pay off roughly $12.5 million in debt.
Peterson, who earned more than $100 million in his NFL career from 2007-21, was ordered by a Houston judge to turn over numerous assets from his Missouri City, Texas, home to help pay back his debt, according to the order viewed by USA Today.
Robert Berleth, a commercial collections law firm that is proceeding with the lawsuit against Peterson, requested the judge to order Peterson to repay with his assets.
“The receiver requests constable accompaniment when receiver levies the numerous assets known to be stored at (the property) to keep the peace and prevent interference with the Receiver’s duties,” the request read, per the USA Today report.
Peterson originally took out a $5.2 million loan from a Pennsylvania lending company in 2016.
A nine percent interest per annum plus attorney’s fees led to an $8.3 million judgment against Peterson in 2021, the outlet report.
The ballooning interest payments on top of lawyer fees led to an approximate collection total of $12.5 million, according to Berleth’s February court filing.
Berleth attempted to sell off Peterson’s sports memorabilia, including NFL trophies and jerseys.
Peterson objected to the auction, threatening legal action, and the auction is still on hold.
“I want to emphasize that I’m financially stable and would never sell off my hard-earned trophies,” Peterson said in a since-deleted social media post in Feb. 2024.
It is alleged that Peterson took out the loan in 2016 with the promise to pay it back with interest, but he planned to use that money to pay off other loans.
Peterson, who was coming off a knee injury at the time, didn’t have his $18 million option picked up in early 2017 by the Vikings.
As a free agent, Peterson’s earnings fell dramatically, never exceeding $3.5 million a year again before retiring in 2021.
Peterson’s financial woes also fall under the microscope following his super-extravagant 30th birthday party in 2015, where he rode into the gathering on the back of a camel.
Podcaster Shannon Sharpe has said that Peterson spent “millions” on the party.
Peterson has had many troubles off the field, not including his financial situation, as the star running back was also under fire for hitting his son with a switch.
He was able to dodge jail time for it but in 2018 said in an interview that he still hits his child.
Peterson ended his 15-year career with an incredible 14,918 rushing yards and 120 touchdowns.
He is the last non-quarterback to win the NFL MVP award, having won it in 2012 when he ran for 2,097 yards with the Vikings.
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