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NFL great Patrick Peterson was no fan of politics in sports during his illustrious 13-year career.
Peterson, 35, played from 2011 to 2023 and said he felt the political discourse that took place in the locker room was not only unnecessary but also misinformed.
“I’m not going to let politics come down to how I’m trying to prepare my team to beat the Cincinnati Bengals or the Pittsburgh Steelers or whoever. I just felt like it was unnecessary,” Peterson told Pak Gazette Digital in a recent interview.
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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson laughs after a flag was thrown at him during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“And again, in my opinion, it’s not a place for guys who play football or sports in general. Eighty percent of (NFL players) have no idea what’s going on in politics. For me, I always drive my own lane and stay at my own game.”
The eight-time Pro Bowler said political discussions with his teammates became more frequent as his career progressed. Peterson even said politics eventually became part of team meetings.
“(Politics) crept into a lot of team meetings,” Peterson said. “Which I felt, in my opinion, was unnecessary. Yes, we have a voice. Yes, we have an obligation. But if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do in the field, which is your livelihood and what keeps the lights on in your home, that’s like outside noise to me, especially in the work field that we’re in.”
“As if that has nothing to do with us. Yeah, we can do it on our own time. We’re focusing right now on winning games.”
The Arizona Cardinals selected Peterson with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU, and he spent the first 10 seasons of his career in the desert. The three-time All-Pro spent two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before finishing his career with one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson defends against the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on November 13, 2022. (Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports)
He recalled a game in 2017 when the Cardinals played the Dallas Cowboys and everyone hugged before the game in response to President Donald Trump asking owners to fire players who kneeled during the national anthem. Peterson said conversations about politics began to become more prominent in 2016.
Peterson was named to the 2010 NFL All-Decade Team. In 201 career games, Peterson recorded 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, 652 total tackles and four sacks.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native will play in the American Century Championship July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
Peterson said the event has evolved greatly over the years and said it is something his entire family enjoys.
“My daughters look forward to going to Lake Tahoe every year not only to walk with dad, but also to go out on the lake,” Peterson said. “Going to the top of the mountain and zip lining and things like that. So the memories they can create for the families involved are countless.”
Peterson is using AI to improve his golf game and prepare for the American Century Championship.
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Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals runs on the field during a game at State Farm Stadium on December 9, 2018. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“I’m using this app called Performance Golf. It’s basically an app that you can download on your phone and you can basically have an AI coach,” Peterson said.
“You can record yourself, you can use any club, any swing, putter, wedge, chip, pitch, driver, irons, anything you need help with or want to see better results, you can record yourself, send the video, and then what will happen is the AI trainer will tell you what your flaw is and what you need to work on to get better results. And I’ve been using it for the last four months and it’s helped my game tremendously.”
The tournament will air on NBC and Peacock.
