Adrian Peterson’s football season officially is over. For real this time.
Arbitrator Shyam Das on Tuesday night ruled to uphold the NFL’s decision to suspend the Minnesota Vikings running back for at least the remainder of the season without pay, officially ending the Pro Bowler’s 2014 campaign.
Peterson filed an appeal of his suspension earlier Tuesday, claiming that the NFL was inconsistent in its punishment and should have reinstated him after he pleaded no contest to a child abuse charge Nov. 4.
Yet Das denied Peterson’s appeal and ruled that the running back and the NFL Players Association “failed to establish on this record that the NFL violated either the letter agreement or the CBA,” a source told ESPN’s Andrew Brandt.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a direct letter to Peterson earlier Tuesday expressing concern that the 29-year-old hadn’t learned his lesson.
“You have shown no meaningful remorse for your conduct,” his letter said. “When indicted, you acknowledged what you did but said that you would not ‘eliminate whooping my kids’ and defended your conduct in numerous published text messages to the child’s mother. You also said that you felt ‘very confident with my actions because I know my intent.'”
With his suspension upheld, Peterson will not be considered for reinstatement until April 15, 2015, at the earliest.
Thumbnail photo via Don McPeak/USA TODAY Sports Images
