MISSOURI CITY, Texas — Few would argue that former Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is among the best rushers in NFL history.
His ability to manage more than $100 million he earned over 15 seasons, however, is in serious question after a judge ordered Peterson to turn over numerous assets to help settle debt that has grown beyond an estimated $12 million.
USA Today reports the same Houston-area judge ordered Fort Bend County constables to accompany a court-appointed receiver to Peterson's home in Missouri City, Texas, when he shows up to seize those assets. The receiver, Robert Berleth, requested the judicial order to prevent the former All-Pro or anyone else from interfering when he arrives at Peterson's home to collect those assets.
Court documents indicate Peterson's financial woes can be traced to 2016 when he took out a $5.2 million loan to consolidate his debt and pay back other lenders. The agreement called for Peterson to pay back that loan in early 2017, but a lawsuit says he defaulted within five months. Berleth, the court-appointed receiver, accuses Peterson of playing a shell game with his assets to avoid paying off his mounting debt, now estimated at $12.5 million.
Peterson's money problems led to an $8.3 million court judgment against him in 2021, and Berleth says the former Viking has not paid a dime of that judgment.
Peterson's PR firm EAG Sports Management said the loan stems from a business loan arranged by his former financial advisor.
"The loan was for a company co-owned by Peterson... As a majority owner, Peterson was made the guarantor of the loan, making him solely responsible for the collateral," said Denise White, CEO at EAG Sports Management.
White said the former financial advisor assured Peterson that the company would be able to repay the loan.
"Peterson has made numerous attempts to settle with DeAngelo Sales, but sources suggest that Paul DeAngelo, the company's owner, appears to harbor a personal animosity toward Peterson," White said. "Although this has not been confirmed, every effort to resolve the issue has been rejected, leading to the current legal impasse."
KARE 11 previously reported that Peterson was the subject of a lawsuit in 2016, when he was accused of defaulting on a $2.4 million loan he took out from Crown Bank in Minneapolis.
It's the latest chapter in the life of Peterson, whose on-field excellence was tempered by off-the-field problems. In 2014 he was charged with using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son. The NFL suspended him for the remainder of the season, pointing to the league's personal conduct policy.
Injuries eventually derailed a career that included a 2012 MVP award, four All-Pro selections and seven Pro-Bowls.
Adrian Peterson was drafted out of Oklahoma by the Vikings in 2007, and played in Minnesota through 2016.
