According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson still faces a suspension from the NFL even if he’s not convicted on child abuse charges.
If Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is found not guilty of a felony child abuse charge in Texas, he could still face a personal conduct suspension without pay from the NFL, according to sources.
Any facts established in a legal proceeding can be found as a personal conduct violation regardless of the legal outcome. This has been a practice Goodell has exercised in prior cases involving Ben Roethlisberger, Brandon Marshall and Adam “Pacman” Jones.
It’s a continuation of a standard that the NFL has had in place for some time now as it relates to the league’s personal conduct guidelines.
While the Peterson situation is more clear cut than most, the idea of giving league powers complete control over personal conduct penalties, even without a conviction, remains scary.
Players may not be subject to due process, but as we have learned over the past few months, the NFL hasn’t necessarily made the best decisions in regards to suspensions handed down to those involved in off-field incidents.