A look into Peterson’s big moment
May 2, 2011, 8:22 PM | Updated: 9:41 pm
Patrick Peterson walked onto the red carpet leading up to Radio City Music Hall wearing a red tie, red pocket square and red sunglasses.
Lots of red.
He walked out of the 2011 NFL Draft as an Arizona Cardinal, with the color signifying a whole lot more.
As part of an All Access video from the NFL Network and the Cardinals, Peterson was followed around during the draft by cameras, giving fans insight on how his life changed in the span of five draft picks.
Before the start of the draft, Peterson spent some time with Cam Newton, Deion Sanders, Les Miles and the family members he brought as guests for his big moment.
Miles, Peterson’s coach at LSU, talked with Peterson and shared that he will be missing him big time come the start of the school’s next season.
“I can’t wait to see [Newton] play and I know he can’t wait to see me play as well,” Peterson said on the video after Newton was taken first overall by the Carolina Panthers.
Little did he know at the time that if both players become Week 1 starters, they’ll be facing off on the field at University of Phoenix Stadium.
Shortly after the Bengals selected A.J. Green with the fourth overall pick, his moment came. Peterson noticed he was receiving a phone call and silently pointed it out to his guests.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Patrick how you doing?” came Ken Whisenhunt’s voice on the other side.
He replied, “Hey, how you doing Coach?”
“Good. Well we’re excited that we’re going to get you. I think that obviously you’ll be a good addition to our football team and we’re going to expect a lot out of you.”
Whisenhunt won’t be the only one. After receiving his first of many Arizona Cardinals jerseys, Peterson didn’t hesitate to give NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a bear hug and walked off the stage to cheers and congratulations from fans.
The congratulations will soon turn into expectations, but Peterson appears ready. Walking backstage, new jersey in hand, he kept his excitement brief.
“I’m a Cardinal!”
