Amid his team's struggles, reports surfaced last month that Arizona Cardinals star cornerback Patrick Peterson desperately wanted to be traded. Those reports led to Peterson issuing a statement that reaffirmed his commitment to the team despite being "incredibly frustrated with how the season has gone."
On Thursday, legendary cornerback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, whom Peterson called his "idol," said Peterson's statement about wanting to stay with the Cardinals was nothing more than lip service, and the seven-time Pro Bowler still wants out of Arizona.
"That was business, man. That was business. That's what that was, because he knew he couldn’t get out. He’s trying to escape. Trust me. I know. This is business," Sanders said on ESPN's First Take on Thursday.
Later on Thursday, Peterson refused Sanders' assertion.
“I can’t control what’s coming out of Deion’s mouth. He’s doing his job. That’s his job to answer questions, and I guess that’s how he felt and that’s what he said. I had nothing to do with that," Peterson said, adding he wants to follow in Larry Fitzgerald's footsteps by being a Cardinal for life.
“He’s been here forever, 15 years, and been a cornerstone of this Arizona Cardinals organization. I feel like I’m next in line," he said. "We’ll see what happens."
The Cardinals are just 2-9 this season, with both victories coming over division rival San Francisco. Next up for Peterson and the Cards: a trip to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday.
The Cardinals haven't had a winning season since 2015, when they won a franchise-record 13 games and went to the NFC Championship Game.
