The NFL Players Association has issued a damaging statement today accusing the NFL of lying to Adrian Peterson about whether or not he would be reinstated immediately following legal proceedings regarding his child abuse case.
Peterson was indicted on charges of child abuse following the accusation that he hit his son with a tree branch, resulting in the four-year-old child suffer bruises to numerous places on his body, including his scrotum.
The All-Pro running back was subsequently kept on at the Vikings following the charges which came after week one of the 2014 NFL season, but further deliberation resulted in Peterson voluntarily going onto the NFL Commissioner's exemption list until his child abuse legal proceedings were resolved.
NFL accused of lying
Peterson resolved those legal issues when he reached a plea deal this month, but rather than be immediately reinstated like the running back claims he was guaranteed, according to reports, the NFL not only choose to delay their decision but ultimately suspended him for the rest of the season on Tuesday without pay.
The NFL PA see this as a clear breach of the agreement that the two parties decided upon when Peterson made the decision to voluntarily go onto the commissioner's exemption list.
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"In that announcement, the union also sneaked in a surprising point, noting, "An NFL executive told Adrian that his time on the commissioner's list would be considered as time served,'" CBS Sports reported on Tuesday.
Peterson's Vikings future is in doubt
Many Minnesota Vikings fans had hoped to see their star player back in action before the end of the 2014 NFL season, but that slim possibility is well and truly over now.
Whether Peterson actually even plays again for the Vikings is a matter open for intense debate.
It has been reported that Vikings' executives are torn over whether or not they should let Peterson play again for Minnesota.
Peterson would have tremendous trade value, and it's understandable that people in higher places at the Vikings never want to see him play for Minnesota again considering all of the bad press he's brought on the team this year.
Watch this space.