rushing yards on 14 carries in the season finale against the 7-8 Detroit Lions. Asiata, while playing in 11 games and starting a game, finished the year with 44 carries for 166 yards (3.8 avg) and three touchdowns on the ground, while also hauling in five passes for 13 yards and returning two kickoffs for 28 yards. 2014 season After Adrian Peterson was suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season following Week 1, Asiata filled in for him, playing 11 games and starting 9 of those, a career-high. Asiata shared the backfield with rookie Jerick McKinnon, but he still set career-highs and led the team in rushing attempts with 164, rushing yards with 570, and rushing touchdowns with 9, which tied for the third-best mark in the league. In Week 4, Asiata tied his own hat-trick record with three touchdowns against the weak Atlanta Falcons' defense. Asiata again ran for three touchdowns during the 29–26 win over the Washington Redskins on November 2, becoming the first player in NFL history to reach nine career rushing touchdowns on the strength of three separate three-touchdown performances, per Elias Sports Bureau. In Week 17, he rushed for a season-high 91 yards on 19 carries in the season finale win against the Chicago Bears. For the 2014 season, Asiata finished with 570 yards on 164 carries (averaging 3.5 yards a carry) with a career-high 9 touchdowns, and also caught 44 passes for 312 yards and a touchdown. 2015 season In 2015, Asiata played in all 16 games for the second time in his career, and also played in his second career playoff game. With Peterson's return, Asiata came back to special teams, corralling a career-high six special teams tackles. For the most part of the season, he entered the field only on third-down situations due to his superior blocking and receiving skills, and had 29 carries for 112 yards (3.9 avg) and caught 19 passes for 132 yards (6.9 avg) in the regular season. 2016 season On March 16, Asiata re-signed with the Vikings. After Adrian Peterson was lost for a majority of the season due to a torn meniscus in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers, Asiata earned the start for the game at Carolina in Week 3, but carried the ball just six times for 15 yards, and caught his lone target for four yards. Detroit Lions On May 30,