Players understandably bristle at the suggestion that they are using illegal performance enhancing drugs. Well, everyone except for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
Peterson, in an interview with USA Today Sports, said he doesn't take PEDs but sees it as a compliment that others suspect he's turning to illegal help.
"Seriously. Especially with the amount of work I put in," the NFL's reigning MVP said. "Guys say that to me, or if I hear someone saying that -- it makes me feel good.
"When you know you don't do it, and someone's saying you do, you're like, 'Wow. They think I'm on HGH? I'm doing that good? Well, hoo! Thank you, Jesus!' It's a compliment. I don't get mad about it at all."
Peterson nearly broke the NFL's single-season rushing mark last season, going for 2,097 yards as he returned from a torn ACL and MCL suffered in Dec. 2011 that forced him to only miss one week of NFL regular season action.
A recovery that short for such a catastrophic knee injury had previously been unheard of in the NFL, which led to some whispers about Peterson's healing regimen. While Peterson insists he's clean, he says he understands why some players may turn to PEDs.
"People are trying to get the edge," said Peterson, who has stated that he has a goal of rushing for 2,500 yards in a season.
"The reality of it is, people are trying to provide for their families. People are trying to keep their spot on the rosters. If it's something they can use that's not going to show up, they're going to use it."