Peterson told The Associated Press he “got a little speeding ticket. I need to be more aware of the speed I was going and not let it happen again.”
Peterson was pulled over just before 8:30 p.m. on Saturday while driving his BMW in a 55-mph zone on state Highway 62 — a normally busy stretch of road known as the Crosstown that connects Minneapolis with southern and western suburbs, Edina police spokeswoman Molly Anderson said. She said Peterson was given a citation and allowed to drive away after what appeared to be a “very routine” traffic stop.
Anderson said police clocked the 24-year-old Peterson going 109 mph, but Peterson told the AP he wasn’t going that fast.
“But I know it was a speeding ticket, and that’s what I got issued for,” Peterson said.
The stop happened the night before Peterson ran for 85 yards and a touchdown in a 36-10 victory over Chicago. The All-Pro also fumbled twice, with one of them a turnover for the Vikings.
Peterson said he was headed to the downtown hotel where the team stays the night before home games. He said he was not late at that point.
“After I got pulled over, then I was late,” Peterson said.
Peterson, a first-round draft pick out of Oklahoma from Palestine, Texas, led the NFC with 1,341 rushing yards in his rookie season with Minnesota in 2007, then led the league last season with 1,760 yards rushing. He’s third in the NFL this year with 1,084 yards.
Peterson has become one of the sport’s most popular players, with a high national profile that includes an endorsement with Nike. He has no known prior off-the-field troubles, and he’s active in the community with charity work. Peterson annually hosts a Special Olympics event at the team’s practice facility, one of his favorite causes.
Minnesota (10-1) plays at Arizona (7-4) this Sunday night in a matchup of division leaders.