On Monday, the Vikings reinstated Adrian Peterson, just a day after their blowout loss to the Patriots. He was deactivated for Sunday's Week 2 game in the wake of his arrest on child abuse charges.
Peterson, who is expected to practice fully this week and play against the Saints on Sunday, issued a lengthy statement of his own on Monday afternoon.
The Vikings running back said his attorney asked him "not to discuss the facts of my pending case" but wanted "everyone to understand how sorry I feel about the hurt I have brought my child" before apologizing for being a distraction.
"I never wanted to be a distraction to the Vikings organization, the Minnesota community or to my teammates," Peterson said. "I never imagined being in a position where the world is judging my parenting skills or calling me a child abuser because of the discipline I administered to my son."
Peterson detailed his case to a degree, noting he "voluntarily appeared before the grand jury several weeks ago" and "was interviewed by two different police agencies without an attorney."
"In each of these interviews I have said the same thing, and that is that I never ever intended to harm my son," Peterson said. "I will say the same thing once I have my day in court."
Peterson also continued to point toward his own upbringing as part of the reason for the way he disciplined his son.
"I have to live with the fact that when I disciplined my son the way I was disciplined as a child, I caused an injury that I never intended or thought would happen," Peterson said. "I know that many people disagree with the way I disciplined my child. I also understand after meeting with a psychologist that there are other alternative ways of disciplining a child that may be more appropriate.
"I have learned a lot and have had to re-evaluate how I discipline my son going forward. But deep in my heart I have always believed I could have been one of those kids that was lost in the streets without the discipline instilled in me by my parents and other relatives.
"I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man. I love my son and I will continue to become a better parent and learn from any mistakes I ever make."
He also admitted his own flaws while stating emphatically he is "not a child abuser."
"I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser," Peterson said. "I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury. No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him.
"My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that’s what I tried to do that day."
