Adrian Peterson's two-year-old son died Friday in Sioux Falls, SD following injuries he suffered after allegedly being abused. And according to CBS Sports' Leslie Visser, the first time Peterson saw his son, he was on life support.
"Adrian only recently found out it was his child, whose name has not been officially released by the coroner in Sioux Falls," Visser said Sunday on The NFL Today. "Adrian was planning to visit later this month, but tragically, the first time he saw his child, the infant was on life support."
Peterson, who was thankful for the thoughts and prayers from around the league, said Friday that he would play against the Panthers and he is active for Sunday's game.
The NFL is a fraternity of brothers and I am thankful for the tweets, phone calls and text messages from my fellow players.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) October 11, 2013
"A little while ago, I spoke with commissioner Roger Goodell," Visser continued, "who said it would be unfair for anyone to judge Adrian's decision to play, that we all grieve in our own way. We remember Brett Favre played the night after his father died.
"The commissioner told me, 'Adrian has our full support.'
"The mood of the team has been to provide safety net of privacy around Adrian," said Visser. "One player told me, 'I don't know how you ever get over the loss of a child, but Adrian has had a tough life and he's always fallen back on football.'
"Adrian might also bring awareness to domestic violence. The U.S. Justice Department says more than 100 children a year under the age of two are murdered. Ironically, it's Domestic Violence Awareness Month."
