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Adrian Peterson Releases Statement, No Mention of the Vikings

Fresh off winning his court battle against the National Football League and closer to returning to the game he loves, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson released a statement Friday afternoon.

I was pleased to learn about Judge Doty’s decision. It is a positive step in protecting players’ rights and preserving due process for all players. It also brings me one step closer to getting back on the football field and playing the sport I love. As I prepare for my return to football, I am still focused on my family and continue to work to become a better father every day. I want to express my gratitude for all of the support I have received from the fans, NFLPA, Jeffrey Kessler, and my agents Ben Dogra, Tracy Lartigue, and Mark Heligman from Relativity Sports.

Interestingly, there was not a single mention of the Vikings in Peterson’s statement. More than anything else, the focus surrounding the future Hall of Fame running back has been on whether he wants to return to the only city he has called home during his eight-year NFL career.

Originally slated to be reinstated in April following a suspension due to his child abuse case, Peterson appealed the league’s ruling with federal court judge and independent arbitrator David Doty, who ruled in his favor on Thursday. The league has since announced that it will appeal Doty’s decision—a decision that simply returned Peterson from suspension to the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

The outcome of that appeal will play a major role in what happens with Peterson moving forward. If he is reinstated, the Pro Bowl running back will likely be the subject of even more trade rumors over the next couple weeks leading up to the start of the new league year on March 10th. If the league wins its appeal, Peterson will likely have to wait until April.

There have been numerous reports floating around recently that have indicated Peterson does not want to be back with the Vikings. Some of these reports suggest that he wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys.

Peterson’s unwillingness to mention his current team in his statement on Friday will only fuel speculation that he won’t be back with the Vikings in 2015.

Photo: USA Today

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