Patrick Peterson Sends Message to Cardinals Fans Amid Retirement Announcement

‘This time was going to come at some point, like my career had an expiration date on it,’ Peterson told a podcast last year.

Patrick Peterson #20 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs onto the field prior to a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 8, 2023. Joe Sargent/Getty Images

Eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson said on Friday that he is retiring and will do so as a member of the Arizona Cardinals, despite spending the past five seasons with other teams.

“It was nothing like taking flight with the bird gang on Sundays,” Peterson wrote in an Instagram post. “See you next week.”

The Cardinals drafted Peterson with the No. 5 overall pick in 2011 out of LSU, and he played for the team from 2011 to 2020. He earned all eight of his Pro Bowl appearances during that time and was named first-team All-Pro in 2011, 2013, and 2015.

Peterson left the Cardinals for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 on a one-year, $8 million deal that included a $5.9 million signing bonus. He spent two seasons with the Vikings before joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023 on a two-year, $14 million contract.

He played only one season of that contract as the Steelers released him in March 2024. Peterson didn’t sign with another team for the 2024 season and sat out.

“This time was going to come at some point, like my career had an expiration date on it,” Peterson said during the Off the Edge with Cam Jordan podcast in November 2024. “I just didn’t know when it was going to come.”

A Pompano Beach, Florida native, Peterson captured scouts’ attention at Blanche Ely High School where he became the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. LSU recruited him, and he became an instant starter for the Tigers in 2008 amid 13 games played.

Peterson tallied 41 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble as a freshman, and he built on that amid 52 tackles and an interception in 13 games for his sophomore season. He also returned that interception for a touchdown in addition to a blocked field goal return for a touchdown.

Peterson scored a couple more touchdowns as a junior in 2010 on two punt returns. He also had 42 tackles and four interceptions that year.

Arizona utilized Peterson as a punt returner in addition to cornerback duties as a rookie in 2011. He burst on the scene with four touchdowns on punt returns amid an average of 15.9 yards per return.

His longest touchdowns went for 89 and 99 yards in victories for the Cardinals, which improved from 5–11 to 8–8 that year. Peterson’s four touchdowns tied the record for the most punt returns for a score in a season.

He also caused trouble on defense amid two interceptions, a sack,  four fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 13 pass deflections, and 64 tackles. Peterson did more of the same in his second season with 55 tackles, seven interceptions, seven fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and 16 pass deflections. His punt return numbers dwindled that year as he only averaged 8.4 yards per return. Peterson never averaged more than 8.1 yards per return in a season for the rest of his career.

Arizona didn’t fare as well in 2012 amid a 5–11 record, but the Cardinals then put together three-straight winning seasons of 10 or more wins with Peterson in the defensive backfield. The Cardinals made the playoffs twice and reached the NFC Championship Game in 2015.

Peterson played a key role during that three-year span amid eight interceptions, seven fumbles, two fumble recoveries, 28 pass deflections, and 127 tackles. He also had a 72-yard interception return plus nine tackles and a fumble in three playoff games.

Peterson didn’t get back to the playoffs with the Cardinals after 2015 as the team went 8–8 twice and sustained three losing seasons between 2016 and 2020. He still had strong seasons amid 253 tackles, 11 interceptions, 34 pass deflections, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, a fumble, and two sacks in 74 games.

Peterson found more success in Minnesota in 2021 amid 45 tackles, an interception, and five pass deflections in 13 games. He followed that up with 66 tackles, 15 pass deflections, and five interceptions for the Vikings in 2022.

With the Steelers, Peterson had 42 tackles, 11 pass deflections, and two interceptions. He concluded his career with 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, 19 fumbles, 12 fumble recoveries, and 652 tackles in 201 games.

Peterson stayed durable throughout his career as he only had two seasons where he didn’t play 16 or 17 games.

“I played 93% of my 13-year career,” Peterson told Jordan.