The Minnesota Vikings announced Monday that RB Adrian Peterson will return to the team this week and will be allowed to play in their Week 4 matchup.
Here’s the statement from Vikings Owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf:
Today’s decision was made after significant thought, discussion and consideration. 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.
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.
As of Sunday night, reports indicated that the Vikings were still weighing their options regarding Peterson. Although, it’s not all that surprising to see them go this route and allow the legal system to play out before making any major decisions regarding his future with the team.
One report from Sunday did say that Minnesota was unlikely to release Peterson, but could consider trading him at some point in time. However, it appears as though the Vikings are more concerned about getting him back on the field in the coming weeks than fielding trade offers for him.
Peterson’s court case remains a very serious situation that could come with jail time, depending on whether or not he’s eventually convicted.
We’ll have more updates as the news is available.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
