National Football League

Report: NFL takes another hard stance, won't cut Smith's suspension

Published Nov. 6, 2014 2:45 a.m. ET

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The NFL will not reduce the nine-game suspension of 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith, ESPN reported on Wednesday, the same day FOX Sports learned the league also refused to reinstate Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

Smith, the San Francisco pass-rushing specialist, was suspended before the season began for violating the league's personal-conduct and substance-abuse policies after he was sentenced in July to 11 days stemming from arrests on gun and DUI charges. He also was arrested in January 2012 on a DUI charge in Miami.

The decision means that Smith will not play Sunday in New Orleans, but is eligible to return for San Francisco's Nov. 16 game at the Giants.

Smith was drafted by the 49ers seventh overall in 2011. The 25-year-old has 42 sacks in 43 career games.

Also on Wednesday, FOX Sports NFL Insider Mike Garafolo learned from sources the NFL rejected an attempt by Peterson's camp to gain immediate reinstatement after copping to a plea deal that keeps him out of prison and instead forces him to pay a $4,000 fine and perform 80 hours of community service in exchange for a no contest plea to a charge of reckless assault.

The charge stemmed from an incident in which Peterson disciplined his 4-year-old son by whipping him with a tree branch.

Peterson, unlike Smith, is not suspended but rather on the commissioner's exempt list. He has been paid his full salary but needs the league's approval to return to the field. Now that he has agreed to the plea deal, he is subject to the league's personal-conduct and newly created domestic-abuse policies, and could face suspension under those guidelines.