Like the Ray Rice grievance process, the NFL lost the legal challenge in the Adrian Peterson suspension. Unlike the Rice case, the league has the power to appeal the Peterson ruling.
"[W]e believe strongly that Judge Doty’s order is incorrect and fundamentally at odds with well-established legal precedent governing the district court’s role in reviewing arbitration decisions,” the NFL said in statement released to PFT. “As a result, we have filed a notice of appeal to have the ruling reviewed by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the interim, Adrian Peterson will be returned to the Commissioner Exempt List pending further proceedings by appeals officer Harold Henderson or a determination by the Eighth Circuit Court.”
It’s unclear how Peterson’s placement on the Commissioner-Exempt list affects his ability to speak to the Vikings about topics such as returning to the team when his suspension ends. Peterson previously was scheduled to have his suspension revisited by the league on April 15.
It’s also unclear whether the appeal will be expedited. The new league year, which opens the windows for trades, launches on March 10.