Adrian Peterson Suspended for Packers Game, Rest of Season

The Vikings running back can appeal the ruling handed down on Tuesday.

Prior to Tuesday, there was a possibility, however slim, that Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson could be reinstated by the NFL in time for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Those long odds, however, got even longer when Peterson was suspended without pay for the remainder of the season by commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday and won't be considered for reinstatement until Apr. 15 at the earliest.

Peterson was indicted for child abuse of his son and has since been placed on the commissioner's exempt list as of Sept. 18, continuing to be paid in the interim.

According to the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement, Peterson has three days to appeal the ruling, and the NFL Players Association has already said it will.

Any appeal will be "scheduled promptly," according to an NFL press release, but even if the ruling were to be overturned, it's unlikely to be resolved in time for Peterson to practice and play in time for Sunday's meeting with the Packers.

"(I'm) not really focusing on it," said Packers head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday. "(I) don't really know the specifics of everything that's involved. We're planning for playing what we see on video. If something happens, we'll adjust."

A letter from Goodell to Peterson reads, “The timing of your potential reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program set forth in this decision. Under this two-step approach, the precise length of the suspension will depend on your actions. We are prepared to put in place a program that can help you to succeed, but no program can succeed without your genuine and continuing engagement. You must commit yourself to your counseling and rehabilitative effort, properly care for your children, and have no further violations of law or league policy.”

Confirming an appeal of the suspension, a statement by the Players Association reads, "The decision by the NFL to suspend Adrian Peterson is another example of the credibility gap that exists between the agreements they make and the actions they take. Since Adrian’s legal matter was adjudicated, the NFL has ignored their obligations and attempted to impose a new and arbitrary disciplinary proceeding."

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Comments (19)

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

November 18, 2014 at 09:23 am

The Players Association is one big credibility gap. They are just as morally bankrupt as the league on this issue.

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zoellner25's picture

November 18, 2014 at 09:30 am

Couldn't happen to a better team.

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balding_pastor's picture

November 18, 2014 at 09:39 am

This may be over football wise. But it's a long way from over. As Brand says, "There will be lawyers." Expect Peterson to sue the NFL and it's commissioner for any lost income etc.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 18, 2014 at 10:21 am

In most cases players play while an appeal is pending. Ray Rice was the exception, but I believe that Baltimore had already terminated his contract so it was moot. Absent a statement by the Vikings that they will not activate him, or a statement by the league stating that he won't be allowed to play, he may actually end up playing this weekend. We still need more information.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 18, 2014 at 10:29 am

"The union wanted Peterson eligible to play while the league’s review of his case under the conduct policy was proceeding. The NFL refused. That led to the union’s grievance, which was heard Monday afternoon via conference call by arbitrator Shyam Das. His ruling is expected within a few days. The NFL’s position is that Peterson will remain on the exempt list and thus ineligible to play while his appeal of his suspension is pending, but that potentially could be undone by Das’s decision."

Translation - he is not playing while the appeal is pending because he is on the Commissioner's Exempt List; he could be off that list by the end of the week.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

November 18, 2014 at 10:48 am

"he could be off that list by the end of the week." While not totally impossible I would say this is extremely unlikely.

The NFL Personal Conduct Policy is not collectively bargained. So the Players Association has as much say in this situation as I do. What they are doing is nothing more than classic D Smith hyperbole.

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Idiot Fan's picture

November 18, 2014 at 01:11 pm

Isn't shyam das the one who ruled in favor of Braun, or am I imagining that?

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HankScorpio's picture

November 18, 2014 at 04:03 pm

He is one and the same arbitrator baseball used in the Braun case.

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jeremyjjbrown's picture

November 18, 2014 at 07:45 pm

Goodell doesn't have to allow an independent arbitrator, he has the authority to ejudicate this issue and I would be shocked if he recused.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 18, 2014 at 11:03 pm

Um, Das already has the case so this "he won't allow" ship is sunk. Also, a grievance about the commissoners list is not necessarily a challenge to the conduct policy. I haven't read the filings or the contract so I won't express an opinion.

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egbertsouse's picture

November 18, 2014 at 11:18 am

I hope somebody drills him in the nutsack in his first game back. Poetic justice!

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4thand1's picture

November 18, 2014 at 02:17 pm

AP will sue. He needs the money for more belts. He's a F-ing monster.

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lucky953's picture

November 18, 2014 at 02:44 pm

Whatever happens, AP will not decide the outcome of this game. NO one runs for 200 yds on this defense again!

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JRODGALLANT's picture

November 18, 2014 at 07:21 pm

Dude has ump-teen kids with ump-teen "ladies", perhaps he should worry about not being a deadbeat dad. #wrapitupdummy

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DraftHobbyist's picture

November 18, 2014 at 07:54 pm

Peterson should be suspended, and I think there should be serious doubt about his reinstatement. He has a history of run-ins with the law now. People forget that he got in a fight at a bar with an undercover police officer when the officer tried to get Peterson and his gang to leave the bar after it had closed, which they were refusing to do.

Also, Peterson broke his probation by using illegal drugs, and he failed to show up for a hearing with the NFL.

It is amazing to me that people attack Ray Rice so adamantly for the domestic violence case with his fiancee, but then people give Peterson a pass for beating his child with a weapon. Lets remember that Peterson thought there was nothing wrong with this, it was the mother that felt the child needed to be brought to the hospital, and it's the opinion of the medical expert that this was a case of child abuse.

Children are pseudo-property of their parents. If their parents say they can't leave the house, and they leave anyways, the parent can literally report them to the police as a runaway where the police will bring them back to the abusive home. Significant others and other adults, however, have the right to leave at any time. This makes beating a child, especially with a weapon, but worse than domestic violence against anybody else. The NFL needs to take a stand, and Peterson should never be allowed to play again, but we all know that the NFL feels they can't lose their superstars so a lifetime ban won't happen.

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4thand1's picture

November 18, 2014 at 08:35 pm

It'll happen when they lose their sponsors, and that's why AP won't play. It's already happening.

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MarkinMadison's picture

November 18, 2014 at 11:08 pm

Heard Demorris Smith on Mike and Mike this morning. I think I counted him saying the word "sponsors" at least four times. That is how critical that piece is to the puzzle. You want Peterson gone? Don't call the league, call the Vikings' sponsors.

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zeke's picture

November 19, 2014 at 06:03 am

So the takeaway from all of this is that Peterson doesn't like the way he's being disciplined.

How. Ironic.

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4thand1's picture

November 19, 2014 at 07:11 pm

Didn't he call owners slave masters, or something to that effect? Then he beats his own little kids like a run away slave form 200 hundred years ago.

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