SouthernWorldwide.com – NFL veteran Patrick Peterson, a renowned cornerback with a 13-year career, has voiced his strong reservations about the presence of political discussions within professional sports locker rooms.
Peterson, who played from 2011 to 2023, expressed that he found these political dialogues to be not only unnecessary but also often based on a lack of informed understanding among players.
“In my opinion, it’s not a place for guys who play football or sports in general,” Peterson stated. “Eighty percent of (players in the NFL) have no idea what’s going on in politics. For me, I always run my own lane and stay in my own game.”
The eight-time Pro Bowl selection observed that political conversations among teammates became increasingly common as his career progressed. He even noted that politics had, at times, permeated team meetings.
“(Politics) crept into a lot of team meetings,” Peterson recalled. “Which I felt like, in my opinion, was unnecessary. Like, yes, we have a voice. Yes, we have an obligation. But if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing on the field, which is your livelihood and what’s keeping lights on in your household, that’s kind of like outside noise to me, especially in the field of work that we’re in.”
“Like that has nothing to do with us. Yes, we can do that on our own time. We’re focusing on at this given time is winning ball games.”
Peterson was initially drafted by the Arizona Cardinals as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU. He spent the first decade of his career with the Cardinals, followed by two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and concluded his playing days with a single season at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He reminisced about a specific game in 2017 when the Cardinals faced the Dallas Cowboys. The teams collectively locked arms before the game, a gesture in response to then-President Donald Trump’s call for owners to fire players who protested by kneeling during the national anthem. Peterson indicated that these political conversations began to gain more traction around 2016.
Peterson’s impressive career earned him a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s. Across 201 career games, he amassed 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, 652 total tackles, and four sacks.
The Florida native is set to participate in the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament scheduled from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
Peterson shared his perspective on the evolution of the event, highlighting how it has become a significant family affair. “My girls look forward to going to Lake Tahoe each and every year to not only walk with dad, but to go out on the lake,” Peterson said. “Go on top the mountain and doing the zipline and things like that. So, the memories that they’re able to create for the families that are involved are countless.”
In preparation for the American Century Championship, Peterson is leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance his golf game. He is utilizing an application called Performance Golf, which functions as an AI coach accessible via smartphone.
“You can video yourself, you can use any club, any swing, putter, wedge, chip, pitch, driver, irons, whatever you need that you need help in or want to see better results in, you can video yourself, submit the video, and then what’ll happen is the AI coach will tell you what your flaw is what you need to work on to have better results,” Peterson explained. “And I’ve been using it for the last four months and it’s helped my game tremendously.”
The tournament is scheduled to be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
