National Football League

Adrian Peterson graded himself as an A+ father in 2012 interview

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:38 p.m. ET

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Adrian Peterson's parenting skills have come under fire following his indictment on a felony charge of injury to a child. But in 2012, the Minnesota Vikings running back had all the confidence in the world in his abilities as a father.

During a 2012 interview with Yahoo's Graham Bensinger, Peterson gave himself an "A+" when he was asked to grade himself as a parent. The NFL star also opened up about his upbringing and how that influenced the way he raises and disciplines his children.

"I feel like I just have to teach (my kids) the ropes along the way and stay on them and really be disciplined. ... Not to the point where they're hating you when they're older, like my dad did and my mom did growing up," Peterson said. "There were times I would look at them with the evil eye and was like 'I hate you,' 'You get on my nerves.' I never said that to them personally, but those thoughts went through my head."

Peterson's mother recently spoke out in her son's defense, saying that he is "trying hard to be a good parent."

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Bonita Jackson of Spring, Texas, said she and Peterson's father, Nelson Peterson, were "big disciplinarians" who used hands, switches and belts to occasionally spank all six of her children.

Jackson, who is 50, said most parents discipline their children a little excessively sometimes, but they are trying to prepare their children "for the real world."

In her words, "When you whip those you love, it's not about abuse, but love."

However, authorities in Minnesota last week filed a petition seeking a protective order for Peterson's son.

The Vikings placed Peterson on the exempt/commissioner's permission list last week. His future in the NFL is uncertain, though, with ESPN's Chris Mortenson reporting the Vikings "don't foresee a future" with Peterson and the league is planning to "severely" discipline him regardless of how his legal case plays out.

Check out more of Peterson's interview in the video below, courtesy of TMZ. The full clip can be found here.

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Adrian Peterson in 2012 -- I Hated How My Parents Disciplined Me ... But It Worked