The National Football League recognized Vikings running back Adrian Peterson as the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, making him only the fourth Vikings player and first offensive player since 1998 to be selected for the award. Peterson is the only member of the four winners of Rookie of the Month honors by a Viking to earn the award in September.

Peterson’s record-breaking debut month included an NFC-best 383 rushing yards and an NFC-leading 549 yards from scrimmage. Peterson matched a Vikings record for most 100-yard rushing games by a rookie with three, the same total Chuck Foreman had in 1973 en route to being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Peterson has averaged 137.2 yards per game from scrimmage with 549 combined rushing and receiving yards.

“It’s an honor to be selected,” Peterson said. “I owe it all to the guys up front. They’ve done a great job creating opportunities for big plays in the run game and in the pass game. I’m proud because of the hard work I’ve put in during the offseason and hope if I continue to put God first that there will be more and bigger team goals we can accomplish the rest of the year.”

Peterson was selected with the seventh overall draft choice this season out of the University of Oklahoma where he ran for 4,045 yards in three seasons with the Sooners. He was the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy voting as a true freshman in 2004, the highest finish in Trophy history by a freshman.

1.         Adrian Peterson, Minnesota      383 yards (76 att., 5.0 avg.)

2.         Edgerrin James, Arizona           354 yards (81 att., 4.4 avg.)

1.         Adrian Peterson, Minnesota      549 yards (383 rushing, 166 receiving)

2.         Brian Westbrook, Philaelphia    514 yards (291 rushing, 223 receiving)

VIKINGS 100-YARD RUSHING GAMES BY ROOKIES