EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Adrian Peterson's best hope to get back on a football field quickly could be if the NFL is willing to credit the time he's already spent on the commissioner's exempt list as part of his discipline for his Sept. 12 arrest. The NFL Players Association soon hopes to make that practice a core principle of the league's personal conduct policy.
According to a proposal the union made to the league late last month, players facing violent crime allegations would receive credit for time served if they agree to a voluntary leave of absence while their legal matter is being adjudicated. The proposal, which was obtained by ESPN, is part of the NFLPA's effort to help reshape a personal conduct policy that commissioner Roger Goodell has said will change in the coming months. The league has not acted on the proposal yet, but as it relates to Peterson, the proposal provides a look into the union's likely argument to help the 2012 NFL MVP return to the field this season.
The running back has been on the exempt list since Sept. 17, when the Vikings reversed their original decision to let him play while his child abuse case was ongoing and banned him from all football activities until his case was resolved. Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless or negligent injury on Nov. 4, but has not been reinstated while the NFL considers further discipline against him, leading the NFLPA to file an expedited non-injury grievance against the league on Tuesday. That grievance, which will be heard next week, would determine whether Peterson could play while the league considers any additional discipline against him.
The NFLPA proposal also calls for Goodell not to take any disciplinary action -- and for teams not to suspend players for detrimental conduct -- while players have charges pending against them. Any appeals of disciplinary rulings, it says, should be heard by a third-party arbitrator.
Peterson has been paid for his time away from the team, but his absence, of course, wouldn't have happened had the Vikings not felt they needed to put some distance between themselves and the running back during his legal proceedings. The NFLPA wants to make sure players in similar situations get credit for that time when decisions are ultimately made about NFL punishment.