Federal judge: NFL commissioner and arbitrator erred in suspending ex-Vikings player Adrian Peterson
Agreeing with the NFL Players Union that a new personal conduct policy for the football league did not apply retroactively, a federal judge on Thursday said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and an arbitrator erred by indefinitely suspending Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson last year over his misdemeanor child-abuse conviction.
“It is undisputed that under the previous policy, first-time offenders faced a likely maximum suspension of two games,” wrote U.S. District Judge David Doty in the court’s opinion (PDF) in the Minnesota case. He said the suspension also violated the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the player’s union because Peterson had not been given an opportunity to be heard before discipline was imposed, contrary to the proceedure that traditionally has been followed.
It isn’t immediately clear exactly what that will mean for Peterson’s status as a player, the Minneapolis Star Tribune and USA Today point out, since Doty’s ruling remands the case back to arbitration for further proceedings consistent with his decision
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Adrian Peterson of Vikings suspended without pay for rest of season after plea in child-abuse case”
