Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season for violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.
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In a lengthy statement, the NFL laid out its exact case for wiping out the rest of Peterson’s season.
The statement reads in part:
"Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings was notified today that he has been suspended without pay for at least the remainder of the 2014 NFL season, and will not be considered for reinstatement before April 15, 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.In a letter to Peterson, Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “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. 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 has three days to appeal the ruling and will remain on the exempt list until the appeal is heard.
In his letter to Peterson, Roger Goodell identified several “aggravating circumstances” that helped lead to the league’s decision.
The letter cites the age of the child (4 years old), the use of a weapon (a switch) and Peterson’s lack of remorse as among these circumstances.
The NFL’s statement also indicates that Peterson and his team were not as cooperative as they could have been
when it came to handing over information.
The statement lays out the conditions Peterson must meet in order to be reinstated, including going through a counseling program. The statement ends with this stern warning:
"“It is imperative that you to avoid any incident of this kind in the future,” Commissioner Goodell stated in his letter. “Any further violation of the Personal Conduct Policy will result in additional discipline and may subject you to banishment from the NFL.”"