Vikings' Adrian Peterson Says He Had an 'Average' Rookie Year - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was named the NFL's rookie of the year in 2007, and he set the NFL record for rushing yards in a game. But when asked how he would grade his rookie season, Peterson said "average":

"When I look back on my rookie season, I have to give myself a pretty average grade," Peterson said. "I really expect a lot from myself and I fell short of a lot of my goals last year, but I learned a lot and I'm taking a lot away from this past season that I can correct this year. I look forward to having a better, more complete season this year."

A lot of highly celebrated young players tend to coast after their rookie seasons, so the fact that Peterson is vowing to improve has to be music to the ears of Vikings coach Brad Childress. So what would that improvement look like?

Peterson says his goal is to get 2,000 yards next year. I'll be shocked if he actually gets to 2,000, but I like how high he's setting his sights.