Patrick Peterson opens up on why he felt disrespected by Cardinals



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Patrick Peterson opens up on why he felt disrespected by Cardinals

Patrick Peterson revealed he felt that Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim was extremely disrespectful in his action two years ago. Peterson, who spent 10 years with the Cardinals before signing with the Minnesota Vikings, had a message for Keim after the Vikings beat the Cardinals this past Sunday.

During his appearance on the All Things Covered podcast, Peterson was asked why he said what he said after the Vikings' win over the Cardinals.

"This is my last time talking about this. I'm not bitter in any stretch of imagination toward the organization. I'm just laying out facts of what happened to me when I was a part of the organization. I feel like, being an all-time great, doing things that nobody's done in that organization as far as going to eight straight Pro Bowls.

I just felt like I shouldn't have been treated in that manner," Peterson said on CBS Sports' All Things Covered podcast. In 2019, Peterson found a mail full of criticism in his box. Peterson felt that mail came from someone within the organization.

"The letter was talking about how (this person) won't be a fan anymore as long as I'm on the team, talking about I tackle like a girl, just all type of negative stuff. It was on my chair after a practice. I'm like, 'Man, why the f--- am I reading this from a fan? Why am I getting this from somebody within the organization?" Peterson asked.

Peterson: Keim told me he wouldn't let me walk away

When Peterson hit free agency after the 2020 season, Keim reportedly told him he would do his best to keep him in Arizona. "(He said) 'I want you to retire here, man, I love you to death, I won't dare let you go anywhere.I promise you we're gonna do everything we can to keep you around,'" Peterson recalled.

Peterson initially didn't want to speak to other teams as he was waiting to hear from the Cardinals. But Keim never called him. When Peterson signed with the Vikings, that was when Keim reached out. Peterson was mad and felt disrespected.

"He just showed me they ain't messing with me. I hadn't heard from 'em in three months. I told my agent to bump it; it is what it is. Then, as soon as I signed (with the Vikings), I get this long text message from none other than Steve Keim.

I'm like, come on, bruh. To me, that's where the disrespect just went, to me, (to) an all-time high. If you're a GM, you see your phone every day, every second. And I know everybody's busy ... but just be like, 'All right, P, we're moving on.'

I'm fine with that. I'm a grown man. ... Yeah, it's been two years, but at the same time, I'm still waiting on that phone call," Peterson explained.