Minnesota Vikings Ban Running Back Adrian Peterson From All Team Activities While He Addresses Child Abuse Charges
MINNEAPOLIS (CBS SF/AP) – Changing course a little more than a day after reinstating Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings have put their star running back on the exempt-commissioner's permission list, meaning he is barred from all team activities.
Viking owners Zygi and Mark Wolf issued the following statement:
"This has been an ongoing and deliberate process since last Friday's news. In conversations with the NFL over the last two days, the Vikings advised the League of the team's decision to revisit the situation regarding Adrian Peterson. In response, the League informed the team of the option to place Adrian on the Exempt/Commissioner's Permission list, which will require that Adrian remain away from all team activities while allowing him to take care of his personal situation until the legal proceedings are resolved. After giving the situation additional thought, we have decided this is the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian.
We are always focused on trying to make the right decision as an organization. We embrace our role - and the responsibilities that go with it – as a leader in the community, as a business partner and as an organization that can build bridges with our fans and positively impact this great region. We appreciate and value the input we have received from our fans, our partners and the community.
While we were trying to make a balanced decision yesterday, after further reflection we have concluded that this resolution is best for the Vikings and for Adrian. We want to be clear: we have a strong stance regarding the protection and welfare of children, and we want to be sure we get this right. At the same time we want to express our support for Adrian and acknowledge his seven-plus years of outstanding commitment to this organization and this community. Adrian emphasized his desire to avoid further distraction to his teammates and coaches while focusing on his current situation; this resolution accomplishes these objectives as well.
We will support Adrian during this legal and personal process, but we firmly believe and realize this is the right decision. We hope that all of our fans can respect the process that we have gone through to reach this final decision."
The Vikings made the announcement early Wednesday morning after initially deciding on Monday that he could play with the team while the legal process played out. Peterson was indicted last week in Texas on felony charges of "reckless or negligent injury to a child" after allegedly using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance October 8.
The decision to reinstate Peterson was met with heavy criticism from all sectors. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and Senator Al Franken were among many who called for the Vikings to reconsider their position. "It is an awful situation. Yes, Mr. Peterson is entitled to due process and should be 'innocent until proven guilty.' However, he is a public figure, and his actions, as described, are a public embarrassment to the Vikings organization and the State of Minnesota," Dayton said in a statement. "Whipping a child to the extent of visible wounds, as has been alleged, should not be tolerated in our state. Therefore, I believe the team should suspend Mr. Peterson, until the accusations of child abuse have been resolved by the criminal justice system."
Radisson hotel chains suspended its sponsorship with the Vikings following the announcement that Peterson had been reinstated, and Papa John's was considering doing the same. Castrol Motor Oil, Special Olympics Minnesota and Mylan Inc. all severed ties with Peterson and Twin Cities Nike stores pulled his jersey from shelves. Peterson's All Day Foundation charity, which is devoted to helping children, also shuttered on Tuesday. The website's homepage lists the following statement: "The Adrian Peterson All Day Foundation website is temporarily offline to allow its charity partners to continue focusing on their outstanding community efforts rather than responding to the numerous media inquiries. The Foundation will continue to support the various philanthropic causes that Adrian and his family care so deeply about."
It is still unclear what this means for Peterson's future in the NFL, but the team said he will remain away from the team until his legal proceedings have been resolved.
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