CJ Ham Shares The Adrian Peterson Story That Changed His Life

A recently retired Minnesota Vikings player shared a touching Adrian Peterson story that had never been heard before. In fact, the former Duluth Denfeld product called the act from Peterson "life-changing". The story came to light just hours before Peterson was to be inducted into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor at halftime of Monday night's game.

Former Minnesota Prep Athlete Now Retired Minnesota Viking Shares A Story

Former Minnesota Viking Fullback, CJ Ham, shared an Adrian Peterson story ahead of his Ring of Honor induction at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday. Ham, who played for the Vikings his whole career, 2016 - 2025, shared the story on his social media page.

"Congratulations on the induction into the Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor Adrian Peterson!! Our paths crossed only a short time in Minnesota, but it left a lasting impact on how my career would play out. I was an undrafted tryout player, broke, with a wife and a 3-week-old daughter to take care of when I came into training camp in year 1. No idea what the future would hold. Maybe he felt sorry for me because I had very little chance of making the team, or maybe he saw something in me (I’m not sure which) but near the end of camp, AP signed and handed me his $1300 training camp check they received weekly. It may have been a routine thing for you, but it was life-changing for us at the time. Being on the receiving end of a gift from one of the players you looked up to as a kid and one of the greatest of all time set the stage for the impact of giving I had throughout my career. My real “welcome to the NFL” moment. Thanks for always setting the standard, AP. No one more deserving."

A 'Life-Changing ' Act From A Veteran Player

Ham called the act life-changing for a young player, and he also referred to that act by Adrian as being his  "real 'welcome to the NFL' moment".

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This was an unexpected story to read ahead of the Monday Night Football game; it gives fans more insight into the teammate that Adrian Peterson was, along the same lines as stories about former Twin Kirby Puckett and his mentorship with young players coming into MLB.

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