The only players who don’t dread the NFL’s preseason are the ones who need to show off their skills to get noticed and stay on their team’s roster. Starting players can’t wait until the four pointless exhibition games are over. But oddly enough, Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson can’t wait to play this August.

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No one wants to risk getting injured in a meaningless practice game, which is why NFL athletes despise the preseason, and most coaches play their starters for only a couple of possessions. In Peterson’s case, he hasn’t played a down of preseason football since 2011, when he injured his knee. So why is he so excited?

“I feel like getting out there and playing a little bit,” Peterson said in a phone interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “It’s something that once that time comes around, I’ll have a better feel for, like, ‘Hey, I need to get out there just to kind of get the legs moving and get the pads (on) a little bit.’ I can tell you, though, I’m definitely more itching towards playing a little more in the preseason than I have the past seven, eight years.”

Viking head coach Mike Zimmer hasn’t allowed Peterson to play in the preseason since the knee injury. But Peterson thinks it will help him get prepared for the regular season. We’ll have to wait and see if the seven-time Pro Bowler is allowed to play this preseason.

Go here to see the full interview.