The Tennessee Titans have signed Adrian Peterson with star running back Derrick Henry set to be out for the rest of the regular season with a foot injury.
Henry was tipped to break a host of rushing records this year and be the first non-quarterback to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player since 2012.
That was when Peterson, now 36, won the award while with the Minnesota Vikings.
Peterson was without a club having played 16 games for the Detroit Lions last season and has 14,820 career rushing yards – fifth on the NFL’s all-time list.
Henry has helped Tennessee to the best record in the AFC Conference (6-2) but is now expected to be out for eight to 12 weeks.
There are nine weeks left of the regular season – then another five to the Super Bowl.
Henry was the NFL leader for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns for the last two years, and currently leads the NFL this season in carries (219), rushing yards (937) and rushing touchdowns (10).
He was on course to become the first man to rush for more than 2,000 yards in successive seasons and surpass Eric Dickerson’s best-ever season tally of 2,105, in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams.
Rams sign Miller in biggest trade before deadline
Peterson could make his Titans debut this Sunday against the Rams, who have the joint-best record in the AFC (7-1) and pulled off the biggest deal before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
They signed star linebacker Von Miller from the Denver Broncos to bolster a defence which already boasts three-time defensive player of the year Aaron Donald.
Miller was Super Bowl MVP as the Broncos became the 2015 NFL champions and moved in exchange for two 2022 draft picks, yet he can become a free agent at the end of the season.
The eight-time Pro-Bowler, 32, has spent his entire career with the Broncos after being the second overall draft pick in 2011.
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