Fallout is continuing from the child abuse allegations against Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson.
Even though the Vikings announced they are reinstating Peterson this week, pressure is mounting against him as more sponsors examine their ties to Peterson, the Vikings and the NFL.
The biggest move so far comes from one of Peterson’s two main sponsors – Castrol Motor Oil. The Business Journal reports the company terminated Peterson’s contract “in light of recent events.”
Nike also pulled all Peterson merchandise from its Twin Cities stores.
An eye-opening development: Nike stores in Twin Cities have pulled all Adrian Peterson merch from shelves. Nike.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 16, 2014
Game maker EA Sports also took action on Tuesday.
EA Sports has yanked Adrian Peterson from the Madden GIFerator.
— mattbertz (@mattbertz) September 16, 2014
The news comes just a day after the Minnetonka-based Radisson hotel chain ended their sponsorship of the Vikings.
Some of the NFL’s biggest sponsors also stepped up their criticism with how the league is handling recent incidents, including Peterson and former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who was suspended indefinitely for assaulting his then-fiancee earlier this year.
“We are disappointed and increasingly concerned by the recent incidents that have overshadowed this NFL season,” a representative for Anheuser-Busch said in a statement. “We are not yet satisfied with the league’s handling of behaviors that so clearly go against our own company culture and moral code. We have shared our concerns and expectations with the league.”
The Associated Press reports Visa and Campbell Soup Co. voiced similar concerns.
“We understand. We are taking action and there will be much more to come,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN.
Political leaders are also weighing in. U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minnesota, has joined Gov. Mark Dayton in calling for the Vikings to suspend Peterson. In a statement the senator sent to the media, Franken said he believes the Vikings made a mistake by reinstating their running back.
“It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear about what happened to his child. I am a diehard Vikings fan, and watching the games on Sundays has been one of my favorite things to do since I was a kid. But this is just wrong, and I think the Vikings made the wrong decision here. This is in the hands of law enforcement now, and it must go through the judicial process, but I don’t believe Adrian Peterson should be allowed to play until that happens. A lot of kids look up to these players, and it’s not ok for the Vikings to send the signal that what happened is acceptable. This is bigger than a football game.”
The Vikings announced on Monday that they think it’s a matter of due process and will allow Peterson to play while the legal process plays out.
Peterson was indicted in Texas on Friday of reckless or negligent injury to a child. He issued a statement Monday saying he is re-evaluating how he disciplines his children and apologized for the injuries he caused to his son. But the Vikings’ star said he is “most certainly not a child abuser.”
Earlier Tuesday, Dayton called Peterson’s actions, as described, an embarrassment to the Vikings and the state of Minnesota.
Additionally the Vikings and Catholic Charities canceled plans for the team’s community relations event today.
Catholic Charities & @Vikings cancel team community relations event today at St. Joseph's Home for Children in #Mpls. More Peterson fallout.
— Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) September 16, 2014
The Vikings deactivated Peterson for their 30-7 defeat in New England last week.
