Vikings awaiting league's ruling on Peterson

Eden Prairie, MN (SportsNetwork.com) - The Minnesota Vikings returned from their bye to begin preparations for Sunday's game against Chicago and said Monday they will await the league's review on the status of running back Adrian Peterson.

Meanwhile, the NFL Players Association says it has filed a grievance to have the running back reinstated based on an agreement it made with the league last month.

Peterson has been on the commissioner's reserve/exempt list since September after being indicted on felony charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child in his native Texas, and will remain off the Vikings' active roster until the NFL completes an investigation under the league's personal conduct policy.

"In regards to Adrian Peterson's status with the Minnesota Vikings, at this time his potential reinstatement is under NFL guidelines," the team said in a statement Monday. "As an organization, we respect and understand the league's process. In the interim, our focus is on the team and preparing for this weekend's game against the Bears."

The 2012 NFL MVP avoided jail time by reaching a plea agreement with Montgomery County (Texas) prosecutors last Tuesday. According to multiple reports, Peterson pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of one count of misdemeanor reckless assault and will receive probation along with a $4,000 fine and an order to serve 80 hours of community service.

Peterson was accused of using a wooden tree branch to hit his 4-year-old son as a disciplinary measure, resulting in visible injuries to the child.

He and his attorneys had lobbied commissioner Roger Goodell for immediate reinstatement following his plea deal, but the request was denied.

Instead, Peterson could face an additional suspension if found to have been in violation of the personal conduct policy.

The NFLPA issued a statement last Thursday threatening to take legal action if further punishment is issued.

On Monday, the union said it filed an expedited, non-injury grievance to remove Peterson from the commissioner's exempt list "based on explicit language in a signed agreement" from Sept. 18.

"We asked the NFL to honor the terms of that agreement last week and as of now, they have failed to respond or comply," the statement said. "It is our obligation to protect all players' rights, and we will pursue any and all breaches of any contract between a player and his team or the NFL."

The NFL said in a statement it received the grievance, but has not received "relevant information" it requested from Peterson's camp.

"We have honored our commitment to Mr. Peterson and the NFLPA not to process or impose any discipline until the criminal charges pending in Texas were resolved," the league said. "When Mr. Peterson decided not to contest criminal charges, we promptly advised both him and the NFLPA that we were prepared to consider what, if any, discipline should now be imposed under the personal conduct policy.

"We asked Mr. Peterson and his representatives, including the NFLPA, for relevant information. We have not received any of the requested information, but remain prepared to schedule a hearing and make a determination as quickly as possible based on as much information as available."

Peterson has not played since Minnesota's season opener on Sept. 7. The All- Pro back was briefly reinstated by the Vikings after being deactivated for the team's Week 2 game against New England, but the club quickly reversed course and placed him on the exempt list after a wave of negative backlash from sponsors, fans and Minnesota governor Mark Dayton.

The two-time league rushing champion also admitted to a court staffer that he had used marijuana prior to taking a drug test after his initial hearing back in October, which could factor into whether Goodell imposes any further discipline.