Ex-NFL star Adrian Peterson found asleep in SUV before DWI, weapons arrest in Texas, affidavit says
Police say the former MVP was found asleep in his running SUV at a Houston-area gas station and admitted to drinking before driving
Former NFL running back Adrian Peterson faces multiple charges following his arrest early Sunday in Sugar Land, Texas, after police found him asleep behind the wheel of his running SUV at a gas station, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Associated Press.
Peterson, 40, was taken into custody around 9 a.m. for alleged driving while intoxicated and unlawful carrying of a weapon, per Sugar Land police. Officers said they discovered Peterson's vehicle parked near a gas pump and noted signs of impairment, including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol.
According to court records, Peterson told officers he had been at a poker game in Houston and was trying to drive home to Missouri City. He admitted to having two to three shots of a vodka mix earlier that morning and rated himself a "2" on a scale of 0 to 10 for intoxication, per the affidavit. Police said Peterson swayed during a field sobriety test, and a search of his SUV uncovered a Glock handgun in the glove compartment.
Peterson was released from Fort Bend County Jail Monday after posting a combined $3,000 bond, according to the report.
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Peterson was arrested earlier this year on similar DWI charges, just hours after leaving Minnesota's 2025 NFL Draft party. Peterson got into a fight with a man over a poker game earlier this summer and tried to cash in on the skirmish after signing a Celebrity Boxing contract, according to TMZ Sports, with his first fight coming against Joe "Baby Joe" Castaneda, the person at the center of the May brawl at JokerStars in Houston.
No charges were filed from the fight and police were not involved. Video of the incident showed Peterson emerge with a bloody face, but he said the cut came from hitting a chair during the melee.
Peterson lost his only other boxing match after he was knocked out in 2022 by former NFL running back Le'Veon Bell.
The NFL's Rookie of the Year out of Oklahoma in 2007, Peterson rushed for 14,918 and 120 touchdowns over his 15-year career. He played his first 10 seasons in Minnesota before brief stints in New Orleans, Washington, Arizona, Detroit, Tennessee and Seattle.
Peterson attempted a comeback following his final NFL season in 2021 after sitting out the 2022 season, but it didn't materialize. The former league MVP was 38 at the time and would've been the oldest running back to play in the NFL in the Super Bowl era, which stretches back to 1966.
Peterson is from Palestine, Texas, which is three hours north of Sugar Land.
