EDEN PRAIRIE — Nearly eight months passed for Adrian Peterson between practices with the Minnesota Vikings.

His public image and personal brand took a huge hit. He had to miss 15 precious games in a sport with so few. He found himself thoroughly baffled by what to do next, whether he even wanted to return to the NFL, let alone Minnesota. He turned 30.

With that purple No. 28 jersey finally back on, though, he almost felt like he never left.