Vikings RB Adrian Peterson is "prepared to fight the NFL -- and if it becomes necessary, sue it -- if the league continues to hold his career in undefined purgatory," according to a source cited by Charles Robinson of YAHOO SPORTS. The NFLPA yesterday "filed a grievance against the NFL," asking the league to "remove Peterson from the commissioner's exempt list." The NFLPA cited an "agreement between Peterson and the NFL, which 'based on explicit language' would reinstate" him once his legal case was resolved. Since his plea deal, the NFL "has not moved to reinstate Peterson, and has not given a timetable for when it would resolve the issue." If the league "reinstates Peterson and then subsequently suspends him, it is expected that the NFLPA will appeal the suspension." Meanwhile, sources said that the Vikings' front office has "privately expressed support for Peterson's return." However, a source said that at least one Vikings exec "expressed concerns about how Peterson's return would impact the team's sponsorship deals." Robinson noted the NFLPA is "seeking to have an independent arbitrator assigned to the grievance for an expedited hearing, which could, in theory, take place as early as the end of this week" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/10).
VIKES TAKE A BACK SEAT: In Minneapolis, Master Tesfatsion reports the Vikings have "deferred to the league in the matter, noting in a statement Monday that 'at this time his potential reinstatement is under NFL guidelines.'” Under terms of the CBA, an "expedited grievance must be heard within seven days, and a ruling must be issued within five days following the hearing" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 11/11). Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said that the team's "'hands are tied' regarding Peterson and he does not want his team distracted by the intrigue" at NFL HQ (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 11/11). ESPN.com's Ben Goessling noted from a "practical standpoint, there's nothing the Vikings can do about Peterson's status at the moment." But it "does make one wonder how much the Vikings are trying to push the timetable forward, or whether they feel they can" (ESPN.com, 11/10). In Minneapolis, Sid Hartman wrote he does not think the Vikings "are concerned about the reaction of the public or concerned about losing sponsors" if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstates Peterson in the near future (STARTRIBUNE.com, 11/10).
