Players Union Suing NFL Over Adrian Peterson

15 Dec, 2014

The NFL Players Association filed a federal lawsuit Monday for Adrian Peterson, asking the court to dismiss an arbitration ruling that upheld the NFL’s suspension of the star running back.

The petition also requested a court order for Peterson’s immediate reinstatement, arguing that Peterson has served far more than what’s allowed by the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players. Attorneys for the NFLPA asked to expedite the case in Minnesota, where the union has often gone to contest labor matters with the NFL.

Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Peterson without pay for the last six games of this season and through at least April 15, the result of the child-abuse case that has kept the 2012 NFL MVP out of all but one game this year. Harold Henderson, the arbitrator appointed to hear Peterson’s appeal, affirmed the entirety of Goodell’s decision Friday.

The union argued that Henderson’s decision was biased and overreaching, contrary to “fundamental principles of notice, fairness and consistency” and the essence of the CBA.

Henderson, the former NFL executive vice president for labor relations, has heard 88 appeals, according to the league.

In the petition, the NFLPA said Henderson “ran roughshod over the required procedural protections of the CBA” and “summarily rubber-stamped the unlawful process and punishment of Mr. Peterson” with his ruling.

In his written decision last week, Henderson backed Goodell’s assertion in determining punishment that Peterson lacked remorse for badly injuring his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch in an attempt to apply discipline. Peterson has said he’s sorry and meant no harm.

“The fact that Arbitrator Henderson dismissed what Mr. Peterson actually said in favor of unverified and out-of-context news reports speaks volumes about his evident partiality,” the NFLPA wrote in the petition.

The union accused Goodell of punishing Peterson to satiate “public calls for his resignation due to prior disciplinary failures” and said he picked Henderson to hear the appeal to “to avoid another embarrassing reversal” of his decision.

The NFL didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

AP

Image Matthew Emmons

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