Fmr. NFL Player Tyrone Carter Weighs In On Peterson Incident
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The fallout is coming from all angles in the Adrian Peterson case.
From the actual criminal charges to the Vikings decision to have him return this week, the politicians voicing their displeasure over that move to sponsors dropping out, and some charity team activities canceled Tuesday, the fallout is big.
TMZ is reportedly in town following all of it, and it's only Tuesday!
The Vikings and Peterson will be back at Winter Park tomorrow to begin preparing for the Saints in New Orleans.
But before then, another person decided to weigh in on the Peterson case – former defensive back Tyrone Carter.
Carter grew up in a tough part of Florida, Pampano Beach.
He played for the Gophers and went on to have a long and productive NFL career that included two Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, Pa.
He now lives in Minnesota raising five children and, with that in mind, he understands much about Peterson's issues right now.
Mike Max paid him a visit.
Carter is a father and on a Tuesday he spends time with his five year old son, Tyree.
While watching Tyree play, Carter tries to give some perspective of growing up in a culture where physical punishment is part of life.
That was the way it was for him.
"When they switch, I got whopped with a switch before. I know what it can be like. You know, I can hit you four times and you might get five or six welts because it's a tree, it's a branch," Carter said.
What he remembers is a place where wrong-doing was recognized not just by the family, but by the community.
"It's accepted there. Yeah, without a doubt it's accepted there. Without a doubt. My neighbors used to. If my neighbors saw me do something wrong without my parents around, my grandma or my momma, they was gonna call me in and beat me themselves. And then at the end of the day, they would call my momma or grandma and tell them they just whooped me. So, I had to go home and get another whoopin'," he said.
So, will this attention on Peterson change the attitude of physical punishment?
Particularly in communities where it is prevalent?
Carter thinks not.
"It won't change that. I guarantee you right now. My mom today, if my kid did something wrong my mom is going to come at him. Now, if I'm there, I'm going to try and stop my mom to not do it the way she did me," he said.
What he hopes is that we don't forget that this not about Adrian Peterson, it's about Adrian Peterson's son.
"That's the main thing that I'm worried about, is the kid. He's just four. And he's young. To have to go through that turmoil with people saying a lot about it…My only thing is that I hope and pray that Adrian is close to his son and that he loves his son," he said.