As he steps closer to the NFL All-time rushing record, Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson has set the goal to complete the upcoming season with 2,500 yards.
Peterson didn't just stop at this season, he was also thinking long-term, specifically Emmitt Smith's all-time leading mark of 18,355 yards.
Peterson is 9,506 yards away, and according to Dan Wiederer of The Star Tribune, if he continues to average 98.4 yards per game, he'll top Emmitt in Week 4 of 2019.
However, Peterson says he'll get there much sooner.
"I've been in the league seven years," Peterson told Wiederer. "I'm already right around (9,000). Calculate it out ... Let's think. Maybe get a couple 2,000-yard seasons ... I've got ... Hmmm ... 2017."
Peterson is 28 years old, and after six seasons in the league he's already 33rd on the all-time list and nearly halfway to Smith. But to reach the mark by Week 16 of 2017, he'd need to average 1,925 yards per season.
If the goal is truly set for 2017 then that means Peterson would have to average 120 yards per game, and not miss time with injury.
In such an aggressive contact sport like football, it would be hard to imagine that there won't be any major setbacks in terms of injury, if it were anyone else besides Peterson, then your doubts would be justified.
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