The Minnesota Vikings called a reverse early Wednesday.
In a statement issued by team owners Zygi and Mark Wilf a little before 1 a.m., the team announced that Adrian Peterson has been placed on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list, meaning he will not play or practice with the Vikings while a felony charge of injuring a child is pending against the star running back.
Vikings deliberated as a team all day long and well into the night as the walls started closing in. Only recently arrived at decision
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 17, 2014
I'm told #Vikings brass had extremely late, extremely complicated discussions and only recently came to this decision, hence the odd timing.
— David McCoy (@mccoympls) September 17, 2014
In the statement the Wilfs describe their reconsideration of the matter this way:
In conversations with the NFL over the last two days, the Vikings advised the League of the team’s decision to revisit the situation regarding Adrian Peterson. In response, the League informed the team of the option to place Adrian on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission list, which will require that Adrian remain away from all team activities while allowing him to take care of his personal situation until the legal proceedings are resolved. After giving the situation additional thought, we have decided this is the appropriate course of action for the organization and for Adrian.
Peterson was indicted by a grand jury in Texas Friday for striking his 4-year-old son with a switch a number of times to discipline the boy last May. He did not join his teammates for Sunday’s loss to the New England Patriots, but on Monday the Vikings reinstated Peterson and announced he would play while his legal case ran its course.
That decision was widely criticized Tuesday, including by Gov. Mark Dayton, who said that Peterson’s “actions, as described, are a public embarrassment to the Vikings organization and the State of Minnesota.”
Peterson’s agent Ben Dogra told the Associated Press the overnight move by the Vikings to sit the 29-year-old is “the best possible outcome given the circumstances.”
“Adrian understands the gravity of the situation and this enables him to take care of his personal situation,” he added.
For those asking: Adrian Peterson still will be getting paid during his stay on the exempt list. This could be Greg Hardy’s road map.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 17, 2014
Adrian Peterson cannot rejoin Vikings and not eligible for NFL games until legal status resolved. Next court date Oct 8. Plea bargain poss.
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) September 17, 2014
Peterson insists he is not a child abuser. He says he was disciplining his son the same way he was disciplined while growing up in east Texas and did not intend to injure the boy. His initial court appearance in Montgomery County, Texas, is scheduled for October 8. Prosecutors expect the case will be resolved some time in 2015.
This means there's a very real chance Peterson has played his final game with the Vikings. Never seen this big of announcement this late.
— Judd Zulgad (@jzulgad) September 17, 2014
Phone rings at 1:30 am to news of Vikings reversal on Adrian Peterson. Now, possible he will never play for team again.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) September 17, 2014
Shortly after the Vikings announced the decision, Peterson tweeted the following:
https://twitter.com/AdrianPeterson/status/512126528982110209
