Vikings Statement: Adrian Peterson Will Practice This Week, Play On Sunday Against Saints

The Minnesota Vikings announced Monday Adrian Peterson will practice this week and play in the team’s Week 3 game against the New Orleans Saints. Peterson was deactivated before last Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots after his indictment in Texas on a charge of reckless or negligent injury to a child.

“Today’s decision was made after significant thought, discussion and consideration,” Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf said in a joint statement. “As evidenced by our decision to deactivate Adrian from yesterday’s game, this is clearly a very important issue. On Friday, we felt it was in the best interests of the organization to step back, evaluate the situation, and not rush to judgment given the seriousness of this matter. At that time, we made the decision that we felt was best for the Vikings and all parties involved.”

The statement continued: “To be clear, we take very seriously any matter that involves the welfare of a child. At this time, however, we believe this is a matter of due process and we should allow the legal system to proceed so we can come to the most effective conclusions and then determine the appropriate course of action. This is a difficult path to navigate, and our focus is on doing the right thing. Currently we believe we are at a juncture where the most appropriate next step is to allow the judicial process to move forward. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and support Adrian’s fulfillment of his legal responsibilities throughout this process.”

Peterson is accused of using a switch to spank his 4-year-old son in May. He surrendered to authorities Saturday and was released from custody on $15,000 bail. If convicted, he could face a possible two years in prison and a fine of as much as $10,000.

“Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son,” Peterson attorney Rusty Hardin said, according to ABC News. “He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in East Texas.”