Adrian Peterson's return to the Minnesota Vikings, or eventual departure, received a big boost Thursday.
U.S. District Court Judge David Doty granted the NFL Players Association's motion to vacate Peterson's suspension for injuring his 4-year-old son while disciplining the boy with a wooden switch. Doty vacated the arbitration award against Peterson by arbitrator Harold Henderson, who had upheld NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's suspension of Peterson.
Doty remanded the case "for such further proceedings consistent with this order as the CBA may permit."
The NFL said it is "reviewing the decision" and could decide to appeal Doty's ruling in circuit courts.
[UPDATE: The NFL is appealing the decision]
Peterson, 29, missed all but one game last season after he was charged with injury to a child, stemming from an incident in May when he disciplined a son with a tree branch. He was placed on the commissioner's exempt list while his legal case was pending.
In November, Peterson pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault and was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and related court costs, and serve 80 hours of community service.
Peterson was then suspended for the final three games by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The NFLPA challenged the suspension, but Goodell's ruling was Henderson. The NFLPA argued that Peterson was disciplined by Goodell under the new personal conduct policy for action which preceded the new policy.
The NFLPA also contended Henderson, who previously worked for the league, wasn't a neutral arbitrator.
"Henderson strayed beyond the issues submitted by the NFLPA and in doing so exceeded his authority," Doty wrote in a 16-page ruling. "As a result, vacatur is warranted on this basis as well."
Doty added: "Because the court finds that the arbitration award must be vacated on the grounds set forth above, it need not decide whether Henderson was evidently partial or whether the award violates fundamental fairness."
Peterson faced a possible reinstatement on April 15, more than a month after the new league year and free agency begins on March 10.
"This is a victory for the rule of law, due process and fairness," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a release by the union. "Our collective bargaining agreement has rules for implementation of the personal conduct policy and when those rules are violated, our union always stands up to protect our players' rights. This is yet another example why neutral arbitration is good for our players, good for the owners and good for our game."
The Vikings' all-time leading rusher, Peterson expressed uneasiness with the team in an ESPN report last week, saying he didn't feel he had full support from some members of the Vikings. The team has publically supported a return for Peterson, including remarks made by owner and president Mark Wilf, newly promoted COO Kevin Warren, general manager Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer.
Peterson is still under contract with Minnesota, having three years remaining on the six-year, $86.3 million contract he signed with the team in 2011 making him the league's highest paid running back.
"Our whole organization is on that same page," Spielman said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine. "He's a unique player you don't see come around too often. Adrian's been a key part of our organization. He's made a mistake. He's doing everything and he's got to follow through, rectifying and doing the things the NFL is requiring him to do.
"We expect Adrian Peterson to be part of our football team."
Reports surfaced this week stating Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, and Vikings vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinksi had a heated argument in Indianapolis during the combine, which was observed by outside parties.
Peterson, who will be 30 years old when next season begins, is due $12.75 million in 2015 and would count $15.4 million against the salary cap for Minnesota. If the Vikings were to cut Peterson, he would count as $2.4 million towards the cap in dead money.
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