Steelers MMQB: NFL Week 11 Wrap Up

Oct 8, 2014; Conroe, TX, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson enters the Montgomery county courthouse for his arraignment. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Peterson denies ditching NFL meeting

On Friday afternoon the NFL came out and said that Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson had backed out of a disciplinary meeting with NFL league officials. This coming on the heels of his and the NFLPA’s apply to have him reinstated now that his child abuse case has been settled. The NFL made it seem on Friday that Peterson had blew them off and on Sunday morning, he responded with some fire. In a statement released by Peterson, he claims that the NFL’s meeting on Friday was not consistent with the CBA and was intended to impose unfair discipline on him.

"“The report that I backed out of a meeting with the NFL is just not true. When Roger Goodell’s office asked that I attend the ‘hearing’ on Friday, I consulted with my union and learned that this ‘hearing’ was something new and inconsistent with the CBA. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of this past week, my union sent emails letters, and had conversations with [Goodell’s] office on my behalf asking about the nature of this hearing, how it was to occur, who would participate, and its purpose. We repeatedly asked them to respond quickly to my questions because I want to cooperate and get back on the field, but they didn’t respond till late Wednesday evening, and even then they didn’t answer important questions about their proposed ‘hearing.’ After consulting with the union, I told the NFL that I will attend the standard meeting with the commissioner prior to possible imposition of discipline, as has been the long-term practice under the CBA, but I wouldn’t participate in a newly created and non-collectively bargained pre-discipline ‘hearing’ that would include outside people I don’t know and who would have roles in the process that the NFL wouldn’t disclose. At this point, I’ve resolved my matter in the criminal court; I’ve worked to make amends for what I’ve done; I’ve missed most of the season, and I stand ready to be candid and forthcoming with Mr. Goodell about what happened. However I will not allow the NFL to impose a new process of discipline on me, ignore the CBA, ignore the deal they agreed to with me, and behave without fairness or accountability. The process they are pushing is arbitrary, inconsistent, and contrary to what they agreed to do, and for those reasons, I never agreed to the hearing. I’m sorry for all of this, but I can’t excuse their refusal to be fair.” – Adrian Peterson"

Looks like the NFL is still more concerned with doing things based on how it makes them look than doing what’s right and/or what they’ve already agreed to do based on the CBA already in place with its players.