Adrian Peterson's appeal has been set for Dec. 2 and it will not be overseen by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, according to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports. It will instead be heard by Harold Henderson, a former NFL executive who oversaw the Josh Gordon appeal.
Adrian Peterson appeal will not be overseen by Roger Goodell
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Goodell’s delegation to Henderson is a compromise with the NFL Players Association’s desire that a neutral arbitrator hear the case, a request they made earlier this week while filing for an appeal on Peterson’s behalf. Henderson has routinely resolved appeals for the league’s substance abuse and PED policies. Most recently, he upheld the season-long ban of Gordon (the suspension was later reduced to 10 games under the league’s updated policy).
Henderson’s connection with the league makes him a less than ideal selection in the eyes of the NFLPA, who claimed, “A long-time NFL Executive and current legal consultant cannot, by definition, be a neutral arbitrator,” according to Pro Football Talk.
Earlier this week, Goodell placed Peterson on suspension without pay for the remainder of the 2014 season, a punishment the NFL Players Association called “unprecedented, arbitrary and unlawful.” Peterson and the union claim that the NFL did not act in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s due process.
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