Adrian Peterson Suspended For 'At Least' Remainder Of 2014 Season
BOSTON (CBS) -- Adrian Peterson hoped to be able to return to the field soon, but the NFL announced Tuesday morning that Peterson will not be touching a football any time soon.
The NFL announced that Peterson will be suspended for the remainder of the 2014 NFL season for "violating the NFL Personal Conduct Policy in an incident of abusive discipline that he inflicted on his four-year-old son last May. Peterson pled no contest on November 4 in state court in Montgomery County, Texas to reckless assault of the child."
Peterson's reinstatement to the league cannot be considered until April 15, 2015.
"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," Roger Goodell wroteto Peterson. "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."
Peterson was initially placed on the NFL's commissioner's exempt list after he was accused of beating his 4-year-old son with a switch in Texas.
The NFLPA has been at odds with the league regarding Peterson's status, with the league claiming that the NFLPA canceled a scheduled hearing just one day in advance. The NFLPA disputed that notion, but regardless of that particular meeting, it was clear that the two sides saw the Peterson situation differently.
"At this point, I've resolved my matter in the criminal court; I've worked to make amends for what I've done; I've missed most of the season, and I stand ready to be candid and forthcoming with Mr. Goodell about what happened," Peterson said through the NFLPA this week. "However, I will not allow the NFL to impose a new process of discipline on me, ignore the CBA, ignore the deal they agreed to with me, and behave without fairness or accountability. The process they are pushing is arbitrary, inconsistent, and contrary to what they agreed to do, and for those reasons, I never agreed to the hearing."
Peterson will appeal the decision, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Goodell explained in detail three particular offenses by Peterson that led to the decision.
"First, the injury was inflicted on a child who was only four years old. The difference in size and strength between you and the child is significant, and your actions clearly caused physical injury to the child," Goodell wrote in his letter to Peterson. "While an adult may have a number of options when confronted with abuse – to flee, to fight back, or to seek help from law enforcement – none of those options is realistically available to a four-year old child. Further, the injury inflicted on your son includes the emotional and psychological trauma to a young child who suffers criminal physical abuse at the hands of his father.
"Second, the repetitive use of a switch in this instance is the functional equivalent of a weapon, particularly in the hands of someone with the strength of an accomplished professional athlete.
"Third, you have shown no meaningful remorse for your conduct. When indicted, you acknowledged what you did but said that you would not 'eliminate whooping my kids' and defended your conduct in numerous published text messages to the child's mother. You also said that you felt 'very confident with my actions because I know my intent.' These comments raise the serious concern that you do not fully appreciate the seriousness of your conduct, or even worse, that you may feel free to engage in similar conduct in the future."
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