Adrian Peterson Returns With Big Goals as Vikings Face 49ers

Adrian Peterson's return on Monday did not pay off for the Minnesota Vikings as they lost 20-3 versus the San Francisco 49ers, but the running back said "it felt good" to be back.

ESPN said Peterson was missing in action for about 53 weeks since he got involved in a domestic violence case involving his son.

The running back allegedly hit his 4-year-old-son with a wooden switch. He pled guilty to the misdemeanor last November, but he was only reinstated by the NFL last April.

On Monday, he was able to carry 10 times for 31 yards in a game where the 49ers showed great offense. Despite the loss, Peterson claimed he still enjoyed the game.

"It felt good to get out there, play some football, take some hits. But [it was] definitely embarrassing to perform the way we did," he added in the ESPN report.

The running back said he still trusts the decisions of coach Norv Turner when it comes to their play.

"I don't question Coach Turner. He's been doing it for a long time. I trust him. I got the ball a couple of times in the second series. It is what it is," Peterson noted.

In a similar USA Today report, the NFL player also said that he is determined to do better in their next scheduled game.

"Just redemption. You've got to come back better than you was before," Peterson said.

The 30-year-old player also admitted that he was not at his best during the game but vowed that he will improve in the next game.

"It's Week 1 and it's only one game. So, we have a divisional game coming up Sunday (against the Detroit Lions). We need to come out and take care of business," he told USA Today.

Earlier, Peterson told Fox Sports how excited he was to play his comeback game and even revealed what his big goals were.

"Three or four seconds before the snap when I'm going to get the carry, I'm going to tell myself, 'OK, just be patient.' Because I know how I can be, and I know that if I hit that thing full speed, I don't think it's going to work out as well because you have to give those guys up front time to work," he said.

But his plan did not seem to have worked versus the 49ers as running back Carlos Hyde impressed football fans with 168 rushing yards, as per Yahoo Sports.

Hyde is the replacement of Frank Gore, who transferred to Indianapolis. And he was a pretty effective replacement as he was unstoppable on Monday compared to the "rusty" performance of Peterson.