Adrian Peterson's 2014 season was over after just one game following an indictment over "reckless or negligent injury to a child" -- specifically, whipping his 4-year-old son with a switch. He was later suspended by the league, though the suspension was later vacated by a judge.
Peterson's child-abuse case was eventually resolved and he was free to return to football this season. Sixteen games later, Peterson is the NFL's rushing champion, and the Vikings are the NFC North champs and playoff-bound.
But the 30-year-old running back still isn't happy with the way the league handled things last year.
"Roger Goodell, man, I don’t know," Peterson told Sports Illustrated recently. "...This is when I knew he was blind to the fact of what I was going through. I sat down with him. He asked me, 'What is a whuppin’? ... It was one of the first questions ... It kind of showed me we were on a totally different level. It’s just the way of life. For instance, in Texas, we know what whuppin’s are. Down there, if it snows, people are going to go crazy. They’re going to close schools. They’re going to shut it down. Here, you’re used to that. It was just a tough situation, because of misperception. ... I get it. I get why. But you still shouldn’t pass judgment on people when you don’t know."
To be fair, passing judgment on people he likely doesn't have a relationship with is part of Goodell's job -- one that the NFLPA agreed to during the last CBA.
Meanwhile, Peterson has shown remorse, saying last year that he "won't ever use a switch again," but also admits that he considered walking away from football altogether during his suspension.
"I thought about retirement," he said. "I was serious, man. It was just like an emotional roller coaster that I was going on. Being angry with the NFL for how things were handled, with the organization and the judicial system as well ... After I’m like, OK, I finally got this behind me, they come back and switch it up. I was like, Wow. It just went to show how politics and how people will cover themselves ... I feel like when you know someone is innocent, then you should stand by that. But in this world it’s not about that. It’s about people doing what’s going to make them look good."
There's some truth Peterson's view of perception vs. reality, but it's also hard to claim innocence when you've whipped a 4-year-old with a small branch. But Peterson reiterates he's learned from his experiences and is a better person for it.
“[Having another child] was just more confirmation," he said. "Like, Hey, this is what it’s all about. Loving your kids. Teaching them what’s right, what’s wrong. These people are the ones that are now your family ... Family first. Because when everyone else leaves you, your family is going to be there."
