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For those who waited patiently for what the NFL’s decision would be in regard to the fate of Adrian Peterson, they were not disappointed. The league dropped the hammer on the former Minnesota Vikings running back by suspending him for the entire 2014 NFL season without pay, which in all likelihood will end his stellar career.
Considering all of the work the NFL Players Associate has put in to ensure Peterson plays again this season, it will certainly be interesting to see what they pull out of their bag of tricks as far as an appeal process is concerned. The reality is the NFL is not going to budge on their decision, and if Peterson refuses to play ball, he will get a lifetime ban from the league.
As the league announced the suspension Tuesday morning, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also sent a letter to Peterson detailing the reasons for why he will not be reinstated in the league until April 15, 2015.
A portion of the lengthy letter is as follows:
“The timing of your potential reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program set forth in this decision,” Goodell wrote. “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.
“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. 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.”
I could not agree with Goodell more on his decision to suspend Peterson for the entire season. More importantly, the commissioner makes numerous outstanding points. What Peterson did was wrong, and there is no debate for that. He is a prime physical specimen who beat a four-year old child with a switch to the point where there were lacerations and bruising. I do not care who you are or where you come from. Doing that to a child is inexcusable.
I have to imagine some teams will consider taking a chance on Peterson next season once he is reinstated (I am looking at you Jerry Jones), but one of those teams will not be the Vikings.
In actuality, I cannot see how Peterson ever plays again. Not only will teams refuse to take on the negative publicity that will assuredly come with signing him in free agency, but also at 30 years old, Peterson is over the hill. There is a reason the lifespan of a running back is not very long. Despite staying fresh by missing 15 games in 2014, Peterson simply will not move on the field like his former self.
Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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