The NFL Players Association officially filed an appeal of Adrian Peterson’s season-ending suspension Thursday morning.
The league suspension came more than a week after Peterson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault as part of a plea deal, after he was indicted on child abuse charges in September.
The NFLPA’s letter of appeal calls Goodell’s punishment “unprecedented, arbitrary and unlawful.” The letter also demands an independent, neutral arbitrator hears Peterson’s case, arguing:
“Moreover, given the intense criticism that you and the League office have faced from NFL business partners, Congress, the media, NFL fans and the public at large and the public pronouncements and commitments you have personally made in response to this criticism, it is clear that you have, by your actions, rendered yourself evidently partial and biased in this matter.”
That wasn’t a surprise either, as the NFLPA earlier said it wants a “neutral arbitrator” to hear the appeal. Traditionally, Goodell is who the players make their appeal to, despite Goodell being the one who handed out the punishment in the first place.
The appeal also makes several arguments against the punishment, including that the terms of the personal conduct policy are being applied retroactively to Peterson.
Adrian Peterson's appeal argues, among other things, that he's being held to the terms of a policy enacted after the conduct occurred.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 20, 2014
While the appeal is pending Peterson will remain on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. According to Pro Football Talk, it is unlikely that Peterson will win his suspension, so it’s in his interests for the appeal to take as long as possible, because he will lose his paychecks once his suspension starts.
The league has not set a date for a hearing on Peterson’s appeal.
