Suspended Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is trying to maintain joint custody of his 4 year-old son and hoping to fulfill NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s conditions for reinstatement.
As part of that effort, Peterson is undergoing four months of psychological counseling and parenting supervision in Hennepin County, according to the Pioneer Press.
Following Peterson’s September indictment on a child abuse charge, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman petitioned Child Protective Services to intervene on behalf of the boy, who lives with his mother in the county.
Peterson has only been allowed supervised visits with his son and is barred from using corporal punishment. The Pioneer Press also reports the Vikings all-time leading rusher has also submitted to parenting evaluations by social workers and a psychologist.
“The conditions in that petition are being met,” Hennepin County Attorney’s Office spokesman Chuck Laszewski told the newspaper.
“He is doing what he’s supposed to do, and we’re hopeful once that has been completed he will be able to go back to playing,” said Peterson’s attorney Emily Cooper to the Pioneer Press.
Pro Football Talk notes those efforts certainly won’t hurt Peterson’s chances of being reinstated by the NFL when he can apply for reinstatement on April 15.
Peterson remains hopeful of a favorable ruling from U.S. District Judge David Doty in a lawsuit meant to overturn the suspension, filed by the NFL Players Association.
A hearing on that matter was held last week in U.S. District Court in Minnesota. While no timetable has been set on a potential ruling from Doty, it likely wouldn’t come until early March.
