Peterson covets Heisman

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — During a visit to Reggie Bush’s house in Los Angeles, there was a certain piece of memorabilia that caught the eye of All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.

“I found myself walking up the steps, and I looked down right at this big Heisman Trophy just sitting in this real nice case,” Peterson said Friday during a break from his football camp. “I was like, ‘Awww!’ I wanted to ask him where Matt Leinart was so I could go over there and take mine. But it’s all good. It is what it is.”

Peterson has moved on to a successful career in the NFL, breaking the league record for most yards rushing in a single game and helping the Minnesota Vikings make the playoffs a year ago. He now finds himself awash in the ongoing soap opera over whether Brett Favre will come out of retirement for a second straight year and sign with Minnesota.

“You’re talking about a Hall of Fame quarterback, a guy that I grew up watching. I love just the passion he played with,” Peterson said. “If he is a part of our team when the season comes around, when training camp comes around, we’re going to welcome him with open arms and see where the chips fall.”

Peterson said he’ll tell coach Brad Childress and top Vikings officials what he thinks, but he isn’t about to get himself tangled up in deciding whether to pursue Favre or stick with either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback.

“I know our coach is going to do his job, and at the end of the day his job is having the best team possible to win games,” Peterson said. “That’s his job, so I’m going to let him handle his job and I’m going to do my job.”

Peterson was back at his old college campus, reminiscing about all he had accomplished — and hadn’t quite done — in his three years with the Sooners.