NFL Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson Suffering the Drawbacks of NFL Superstardom

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By @seankjensen

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The finger pointing is now at a feverish pace, with the NFL blaming Adrian Peterson and the NFL Players Association blaming commissioner Roger Goodell.

Tuesday morning, the NFL released a 1,540-word statement, detailing why Peterson was being suspended for the duration of the 2014 season without pay and how he could be reinstated by April 2015.

Among the points the league outlined: that Peterson pled no contest Nov. 4 in Montgomery County, Texas, to reckless assault of a child; that Peterson and the NFLPA didn’t provide information the league requested and didn’t attend a scheduled hearing; and that there were “aggravating circumstances that would warrant higher levels of discipline.”

The NFLPA quickly responded with a statement that said, “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.”

For years, Peterson enjoyed the benefits of NFL superstardom. Now, though, he’s suffering the drawbacks of NFL superstardom.

To be clear, Peterson played a huge role in all this after disciplining his four-year-old son and leaving marks on his body.

But since that information became public, Peterson has found himself at the center of a lot of moving parts.

  • The NFL vs. the NFLPA, as they determine how punishment should be meted out and by whom.
  • In the wake of Ray Rice’s assault case involving his then fiancé during the offseason.
  • And, less publicized, the internal angst of the Minnesota Vikings as they prepare to move into a new stadium in 2016 and lock up lucrative sponsorship deals.

On the latter point, the Vikings have largely been mum as all of this has played out. While players have been outspoken, with many of them suggesting they’d welcome him back, ownership and executives have said as little as possible, deferring to the league. Yes, the Vikings would certainly benefit by having an MVP-caliber player back in the lineup. But the reality is, the Vikings probably are more focused on 2016 than anything else.

Besides, the Vikings are 4-6.

“The NFL has informed the Vikings of today’s decision regarding Adrian Peterson,” the Vikings said in a statement. “We respect the league’s decision and will have no further comment at this time.”

The NFLPA, though, isn’t holding back.

“Since Adrian’s legal matter was adjudicated, the NFL has ignored their obligations and attempted to impose a new and arbitrary disciplinary proceeding,” the union said in a statement. “The facts are that Adrian has asked for a meeting with Roger Goodell, the discipline imposed is inconsistent and an NFL executive told Adrian that his time on the Commissioner’s list would be considered as time served.”

In an interview with ESPN, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith suggested the league was “simply making it up as they go along.”

The NFLPA has appealed the suspension and will “demand” a neutral arbitrator oversee the appeal.

But the NFL – based on its three-page statement – has likely factored that into the equation.

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