With the help of the NFLPA(players association), Adrian Peterson is suing the NFL in an attempt to be reinstated. U.S. District Judge David Doty heard arguments from NFLPA attorney Jeffrey Kessler and NFL attorney Daniel Nash on Friday afternoon, after hearing both arguments Doty said he would review but did not give a timetable.
The NFLPA is arguing that the league’s use of the commissioner’s exempt list to keep Peterson off the field for 10 weeks, although he was still paid, before suspending him for the rest of the season was unprecedented. They are also arguing that Commissioner Goodell did not have the right to mandate the running back go to counselling. The union cited NFL executive Troy Vincent’s comments to Peterson that he believed the new personal conduct policy would not apply to the Peterson and that he would receive a suspension of two games.
NFL attorney Daniel Nash argued that according to Judge Barbara Jones’ decision to overturn Goodell’s indefinite suspension of former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice, the commissioner has “sole discretion” to suspend a player as he chooses under Article 46 of the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Nash made the argument that had he wanted to, Goodell could have suspended Peterson much longer. Nash also argued that Troy Vincent’s comments to Peterson were not a promise but speculation.
Peterson has the possibility to be reinstated on April 15 under the terms of his current suspension, however under he could miss additional time next season. The new NFL policy regarding domestic violence states that the minimum suspension for a first time offender is six games. Not counting his time on the commissioner’s exempt list Peterson did miss six games.
