Patrick Peterson said he had a sense the Arizona Cardinals might have been ready to part with him as 2020 came to an end.
The team hadn’t discussed an extension with the 30-year-old cornerback, and he’d seen former Cardinals teammates reach a similar point in their careers, where the team had to make the decision to move on.
“Honestly, I would probably say (I knew) after the last game,” Peterson said on his All Things Covered podcast released Friday. “I’ve been around this game for a long time, I’ve seen a lot of good players get to this stage: Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Adrian Wilson … when you pretty much play out your contract year and they haven’t really came to you about anything during the season, you kind of got the feel.
“I understand that’s the business, I understand they want to go in the different direction.”
Now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, Peterson reflected on his podcast about his impact with the Cardinals and in the Valley community.
He believes that eight Pro Bowls and three First Team All-Pro appearances could put him in the running to hang his No. 21 jersey in the franchise’s rafters at some point.
The team has only retired the jerseys of Larry Wilson (8), Pat Tillman (40), Stan Mauldin (77), J.V. Cain (88) and Marshall Goldberg (99) — though Goldberg’s family gave new Arizona defensive end J.J. Watt the blessing to wear No. 99 this year.
“I think I have (done enough), to be honest with you. I think I have,” Peterson said of the possibility of the team retiring his jersey. “I’ve done some things that a lot of Arizona Cardinals haven’t done. We’ve had a lot of greats.”
At the least, Peterson has likely done enough to eventually make the Cardinals’ Ring of Honor.
Peterson on his podcast thanked fans and Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill for taking him in the first round of the 2011 draft.
The cornerback said he’s most proud of his foundation’s efforts to help “provide low-income and inner city youth with opportunities and resources.”
That included putting Patrick’s Corners — small reading centers — in Title I schools and inner-city community centers.
“All-in-all, I’m blessed to have the opportunity to spend 10 years with an organization because we all know how rare that is,” Peterson said.
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