Adrian Peterson Mad At Minnesota's Lack Of Support

Remember when Adrian Peterson got indicted for hitting his kid? According to a recent interview with ESPN, Peterson honestly might not.

Ben Goessling talked with Peterson about his NFL future—the running back is still suspended until April 15—and Peterson hinted at not being sure he wants to come back and play for Minnesota after the team placed him on the commissioner's exempt list under pressure from the league.

"It's hard to say (what my future will be). I love Minnesota. There are people that have had my back, and supported me. Last year, with the things that took place, had a lot of fans that supported me through everything. For the fans, I would definitely love to come back, but then again, it's a business, when it comes down to business, you can't get caught up in the loyalty to fans or to a team or anything like that. You know how it is in the NFL. I learned a lot through this process. I'm still uneasy, to be honest with you. I'm still uneasy about a lot of things that took place within the organization. Of course those guys ultimately supported me, and I'm grateful for that. But ultimately, with me being able to be on the inside and see how cards were dealt, how things were worded, this, that and the other, it's about protecting your brand, your organization, what you have built. In the (grand) scheme of things, not one person counts over that. I get that."

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"I know there are a lot of people in the organization who want me back," he said. "But then again, I know the ones who don't. It's a difficult transition, and it's not just about me. I have a wife who was able to sit back and see how people in Minnesota said this and said that, how media in Minnesota took the head of the situation with my child, and were digging into things that weren't even relevant. That wasn't people in Texas — it was people in Minnesota that dug in and brought things out. That impacted me, but most importantly, it impacted the people around me — my family, my kids. This came from the state I love so much, that I wish to bring a championship to? This is how they treat me when I'm down and out? You kick me? My wife (and I), we've had several conversations about me returning to Minnesota, what the best options are. If I left it up to her, I'd be somewhere else today, and that's with her weighing everything. It's a lot for me to weigh; she understands that. But there are some things that I'm still uneasy about."

Peterson, who pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault to avoid jail time, doesn't believe that the organization fully supported him as he dealt with the consequences of hitting his kid. Huh?

The use of the NFL as a justice system is gross and ridiculous, but Peterson's angry that the state of Minnesota didn't back him up. In the article, he refers to his time in court for child injury charges as being "down and out." This is an honest question: Does Adrian Peterson fully understand what he did?

[ ESPN]

Photo: AP