NFC North: League Needs To Severely Punish Peterson

Sep 7, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) looks on during the second half against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Vikings defeated the Rams 34-6. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday afternoon, superstar running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on charges of reckless or negligent injuries to a child. He reportedly used a “switch” to spank his 4-year-old son, which resulted in the boy needing medical care.

Peterson turned himself into a Montgomery County, Texas jail on Saturday morning and was quickly released after posting bond. He will await his potential punishment from both the courts and the NFL. The Vikings have already deactivated Peterson for Sunday’s game against the Patriots.

The story comes as an absolute shock considering that Peterson was, and by many even still is, considered the best player in the NFL. He is now in his eight season in the league and has accumulated more than 10,000 rushing yards. Peterson has been named to the Pro Bowl six times and was the AP Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player in 2012.

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Unfortunately for the NFL, this news couldn’t possibly come at a worse time. The league has consumed headlines for months now due to player indiscretions, such as domestic violence, drug abuse and behavioral issues. For months now, former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice has been in the news after he punched his then-fiancee in a casino elevator, a horrific scene that was captured by security cameras and then spread quickly across the internet and media outlets. Rice has since received an indefinite suspension from the league and was released by the Ravens.

As for Peterson, there’s absolutely no justifying what he did to his son. He unquestionably abused a small child and should certainly see serious repercussions because of it. It’s a shame that one of the top players in the league may need to be removed from his profession, but there’s no place in sports — or any other place for that matter — for human beings capable of doing something like this. The Vikings, as well as the NFL, need to put aside Peterson’s star factor in this situation and punish him for his actions.