Some believe Adrian Peterson will not play a game this NFL season, while others contend he might have played his last game of an illustrious career. That’s how serious the child abuse charges are against Peterson in the spanking incident involving his 4-year-old son.
The Vikings are done with the superstar running back, team sources told ESPN. The team muffed its response to the charges by sitting him for the season opener, then activating him for the second game, only to two days later put him on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Even if Peterson reaches a plea deal on a child abuse charge with Texas prosecutors, the NFL will severely discipline him, sources told the network.
Beyond that, Peterson seems to be in denial about his future, according to a Vikings source. The Pro Bowler tweeted Friday that he passed a lie detector test, which served as further proof, according to multiple sources, that he “really doesn’t get it.”
Peterson faces a child abuse charge in Texas for using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son in May. He has said he meant only to discipline the boy and not hurt him.
Since he is on the exempt list, Peterson can collect the remainder of his $11.75 million salary for this season. However, the Vikings have not disclosed whether they plan to activate Peterson at any point this season.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned child abuse as a violation that the league will harshly punish during his news conference Friday, prompting the Vikings to change their expectations regarding Peterson’s potential return to the team, according to sources.
