EAGAN, Minn. — Patrick Peterson is giving it the old college try in his first season with the Vikings.
The cornerback announced Sunday that he will wear No. 7 in Purple, the same number he wore as a college star with LSU.
But what about Nate Stanley, who wore No. 7 this past season after being a 2020 seventh-round pick?
Peterson will donate new shoulder pads to the football program at Menomonie High School in Wisconsin, which is Stanley's alma mater, in exchange for the number. The second-year quarterback has switched to No. 14.
Peterson revealed the news on his "All Things Covered" podcast with Bryant McFadden, which came just days after NFL Owners agreed to pass a proposal to expand jersey number options for certain positions. Defensive backs can now select jersey numbers between 1-49 after previously being limited to Nos. 20-49.
For Peterson, that means he can go back to the number he wore during a stellar college career with the Tigers that made him the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Peterson helped LSU go 11-2 in his junior season in 2010, winning the Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player in the country) and the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back.
He was a unanimous First-Team All-American honoree in his final college season and was a two-time First-Team All-SEC performer in his final two college seasons.
Peterson had seven career interceptions (one returned for a score) for the Tigers, along with two punt returns for touchdowns and a fumble return for a score in his three seasons at LSU.
Peterson, who signed with the Vikings in March, wore No. 21 in his first 10 seasons in the NFL with Arizona.
View photos of CB Patrick Peterson signing his contract and going on a tour of TCO Performance Center.
Peterson was an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro in his first decade in the league. He was also one of three cornerbacks selected for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010s All-Decade Team that was announced in April 2020.
Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes chose No. 21 when he was drafted in 2018 in part because of the respect he has for Peterson. Now, he won't have to worry about Peterson angling for that digit.
