NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
NFL great Patrick Peterson was no fan of sports politics during his incredible 13-year tenure.
Peterson, 35, played from 2011-2023, and said he felt the political talk in the locker room was not only unnecessary but also uninformed.
“I don’t let politics get in the way of trying to get my team ready to beat the Cincinnati Bengals or the Pittsburgh Steelers or whoever. I just felt like it wasn’t necessary,” Peterson told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH ONE OF THE GAMES ON FOXNEWS.COM
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Patrick Peterson laughs after a flag is thrown at him during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Magn Images)
“And again, in my opinion, it’s not a place for guys who play football or sports in general. 80 percent (of NFL players) don’t know what’s going on in politics. For me, I always run my route and stay on my game.”
The eight-year Pro Bowler said political discussions with teammates became more frequent as his career progressed. Peterson even said that politics ended up being part of party meetings.
“(Politics) sneaked into a lot of party meetings,” Peterson said. “What I felt, in my opinion, was unnecessary. Like, yes, we have a voice. Yes, we have a responsibility. But if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do on the field, which is your life and what keeps the lights on in your house, that’s like outside noise to me, especially in the line of work that we do.”
“So that has nothing to do with us. Yes, we can do that in our time. We are focused on winning football games at this time.”
The Arizona Cardinals selected Peterson with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft out of LSU, and he spent the first 10 seasons of his career in the desert. The three-time All-Pro then spent two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before finishing his career with one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE DOD’S DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Patrick Peterson defends against the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, on Nov. 13, 2022. (Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports)
He recalled a game in 2017 when the Cardinals played against the Dallas Cowboys and they all locked arms before the game in response to President Donald Trump asking the owners to fire players who knelt during the national anthem. Peterson said that discussions about politics started to become more prominent in 2016.
Peterson was named to the NFL’s All-Decade’s team in 2010. In 201 career games, Peterson recorded 36 interceptions, 122 pass deflections, 652 tackles and four sacks.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native will play in the American Century Championship from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.
Peterson said the event has changed a lot over the years, and he said it’s something his whole family enjoys.
“My girls look forward to going to Lake Tahoe every year so they can not only hang out with dad, but get out on the lake,” Peterson said. “Go to the top of the mountain and do the zipline and things like that. So, the memories that can be made for the families involved are countless.”
Peterson is using AI to help improve his golf game and prepare for the American Century Championship.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals runs on the field during a game at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 9, 2018. (Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Magn Images)
“I use this app called Performance Golf. It’s basically an app that you can download on your phone, and you can have an AI coach,” Peterson said.
“You can record yourself, you can use any club, any swing, putter, wedge, chip, pitch, driver, irons, anything you need that you need help with or want to see better results with, you can record yourself, submit the video, and what will happen is the AI coach will tell you what is your mistake that you need to work on to have better results. And I have been using it for the last four months and I have used it in my game.”
This competition will be broadcast on NBC and Pigogo.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on Xand register at Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
