You Know Who Got Snubbed by ESPN All-Century NFL List
ESPN published an “All-Quarter Century Team” this week, detailing the best NFL players from the last 25 years.
An ESPN All-Century NFL Team hit the internet this week — but dropped the ball on including a certain Minnesota Viking.
The article generated buzz because June is a notoriously slow time on the NFL calendar.
And from a Minnesota Vikings perspective, fans opened the piece, scrolled, and immediately asked, “Where in the hell is Adrian Peterson?”
The ESPN Oversight That Will Irk Vikings Fans
ESPN Says Nope to Adrian Peterson for Vaunted List
In addition to Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback — no-brainers — the running back section excluded Adrian Peterson, instead calling on Priest Holmes, Christian McCaffrey, and Derrick Henry.
It’s not a homer Vikings fan take to suggest Peterson should’ve made the cut foremost over those three. ESPN simply forgot Peterson or decided the other three had a cleaner reputation than Peterson.
It’s a mystery.
The Criteria from ESPN
ESPN described its criteria in this way: “Players are still eligible if they began their career in the 1990s, but only production beginning in the 2000 season was considered. These decisions were made mostly on statistical output, focusing on peak seasons while still rewarding longevity.”
“We relied heavily on FTN’s DYAR metric (defense-adjusted yards above replacement), which calculates a player’s value over the course of the season compared to a replacement-level baseline. Other advanced statistics were also taken into account.”
No Adrian Peterson Is Criminal
The case for Peterson — on almost any running back list — is simple and non-controversial.
He ranks fifth all-time in rushing yards with 14,918. With 120 career rushing touchdowns, he places fourth among his peers in NFL history. None of the RBs from ESPN top Peterson in either category.
If this website or a Vikings fan pounded the table for Dalvin Cook on this list, for example, or Robert Smith 25-30 years ago, something would be fishy. But that’s not the case with Peterson, as his resume and career production speaks for itself. He’s Adrian Peterson.
The ESPN snub has no good explanation from strictly a football perspective.
So … Why No Peterson?
If forced to concoct an explanation, however, it may be that Peterson’s off-the-field reputation isn’t sterling, at least compared to Holmes, McCaffrey, or Henry. Peterson was arrested a couple of months ago for an alleged DUI and also missed nearly all of the 2014 campaign due to suspension.
Maybe the fellas at ESPN want nothing to do with those infractions? It’s speculative.
It’s worth noting that Peterson didn’t even pull down an honorable mention. That went to LaDainian Tomlinson.
Moss, Jefferson, Allen Make the Cut
For Vikings fans’ sanity’s sake, Randy Moss, Justin Jefferson, and Jared Allen got the nod, restoring some faith in the publication’s legitimacy.
Aaron Schatz noted on Moss, “The greatest receiver of the 21st century based on the eye test, Moss also dominated in advanced metrics. He set the NFL record with 23 receiving touchdowns in 2007, a season that ranks third all-time in DYAR.”
“Moss ranked No. 1 in receiving DYAR three times: 2000, 2003 and 2007. In each of those seasons, he had at least 1,400 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. He is also the leader in total receiving value by DYAR whether you add together a player’s top five seasons or top 10 seasons since 2000. Plus, he’s a legend of the podium interview.”
And on Jefferson: “Jefferson has played only five NFL seasons, but what amazing seasons they have been. When he won the Offensive Player of the Year award in 2022, he was No. 1 in receptions, yards and DYAR. He ranked in the top three for DYAR in three of his other seasons (2020, 2021 and 2024), with at least 1,400 receiving yards in each of them.
“The only exception is 2023, when he played only 10 games because of injury but still managed to top 1,000 yards.”
Jared Allen joined illustrious company with EDGE rushers DeMarcus Ware, Myles Garrett, and Julius Peppers.
Patrick Peterson, who stopped by the Vikings for two seasons in 2021 and 2022, also appeared on the ESPN list. So did guard Steve Hutchinson.
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