The Minnesota Vikings have reinstated running back Adrian Peterson and he is expected to play in the team's next game. Peterson had been deactivated for the team's game against the New England Patriots on Sunday after being indicted in a child injury case in Texas on Friday.
Vikings owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf released a statement on the team's handling of the matter:
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.
Shortly after his indictment was reported, the Vikings deactivated Peterson for their Week 2 game against the New England Patriots. Peterson was booked into jail on a child abuse charge Saturday and later released on a $15,000 bond.