Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has been reinstated after U.S. District Court Judge David Doty ruled Thursday in the NFL Players Association’s lawsuit against the NFL on Peterson’s behalf.
As a result of the ruling, the Vikings might now be forced to make a decision on Peterson sooner rather than later. They can release or try to restructure his contract now, and also will be free to trade him once the league year begins March 10.
It is the latest blow to the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, who has watched his rulings against Peterson and Ray Rice both overturned in recent months.
Doty heard arguments from NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler and NFL attorney Daniel Nash on Feb. 6 in Minneapolis.
The union had argued Goodell acted outside his authority in November, when he suspended Peterson until at least April 15 for disciplining his 4-year-old son with a switch in May. Arbitrator Harold Henderson, a longtime NFL executive whom the union argued was biased in favor of the league, upheld Peterson’s suspension Dec. 12.
Peterson is scheduled to earn a base salary of $12.75 million in 2015 and count $15.4 million against the Vikings’ salary cap. Coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman have both indicated they want Peterson back, but they stopped short of saying it would happen.
