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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - The first time Eric Dickerson met Adrian Peterson, his message was simple.
"I just told him, 'Don't let them intimidate you,'" Dickerson said.
The two met after Peterson was drafted by the Vikings in 2007, and the young running back asked the hall of famer for advice about playing in the NFL. The two have talked on and off since then, including in 2012, when Peterson came close to breaking Dickerson's NFL record for yards rushing in a season.
They plan to chat Thursday night, too. Los Angeles faces Minnesota in the preseason finale at U.S. Bank Stadium, and Dickerson will serve as a Rams television analyst for the game.
So will Dickerson have any more advice for Peterson?
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"I don't need to give him any," Dickerson said. "He's not been intimidated, for sure. As a matter of fact, he intimidates them."
Dickerson said he hasn't spoken with Peterson in a few years. He said he left a message with Peterson offering support when he sat out the final 15 games of 2014 because of a child-abuse incident.
Peterson, who said he was swamped with messages back then, didn't get back to Dickerson, but said he appreciated the gesture.
Peterson is sitting out exhibition games and won't take the field until the Sept. 11 regular-season opener at Tennessee.
"It will be good to see him, and I'll be able to pick his brain a little bit before I break his record," Peterson said with a laugh.
Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards in 2012, coming just short of Dickerson's 1984 mark of 2,105 yards with the Rams. Asked if he's making a concerted effort this season to go after the record, Peterson backed off.
"You know, let's not get into all that," he said. "I'll have a nice conversation with him when I see him."
