Minnesota Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, along with GM Rick Spielman, VP of Legal Kevin Warren and coach Mike Zimmer, addressed the media Wednesday afternoon to discuss the team's decision to place running back Adrian Peterson on the exempt/commissioner's permission list.
Vikings owners, coach Mike Zimmer address media regarding Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf addressed the media Wednesday to discuss the decision of placing running back Adrian Peterson on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list.
Mark Wilf admitted that “we made a mistake” in the team’s handling of Peterson’s indictment, and insisted several times that the organization is concerned with “getting it right.” Wilf expressed confidence that the Vikings will get over the incident: “I know that in the end that if we do the right thing, those things will fall into place.”
After the Vikings’ front office members finished taking questions, head coach Mike Zimmer took the podium. He said that he has spoken with Peterson, but wouldn’t reveal what was said.
“Football players play football,” Zimmer said. “I think our conversations we should keep between him and I.”
Regarding the state of the team ahead of its Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, the coach said that his players would be fine.
“I’ve always considered myself a football coach, I’m not a speaker of the house,” Zimmer said. “We’ve got a job to do, it’s what we get paid to do ... It’s our refuge in a way.”
Zimmer spoke in football terms when asked how Peterson and the Vikings will move on.
“It’s like football players, when you have bad play, you forget about it and you go on to the next one,” Zimmer said.
Peterson was placed on the list early Wednesday morning, just two days after the team announced it had reinstated the running back following his Week 2 deactivation. That, of course, was the result of Peterson being indicted for reckless or negligent injury of a child last Friday.
After being reinstated by the team, Peterson was expected to practice all week and play for the Vikings in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints. The team backtracked on its initial decision before placing Peterson on the exempt/commissioner's permission list. While on the list, Peterson will not play or be involved in any team activities until his legal situation is sorted out.
Wilf, Spielman and Warren were questioned several times on their decision-making process. Regarding the announcement of Peterson’s deactivation in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Wilf said it was “when we got it right.” The Vikings admitted that they considered several options, including outright release, before making their decision. They insisted that Peterson will not be suspended or released while he is on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list.
Regarding the backtracking of their decision to reinstate Peterson on Monday, Mark Wilf deflected.
“I don’t want to Monday morning quarterback what it was,” Wilf said. “The main thing is that we constantly strive as an organization to do the right thing.”
After activating Peterson on Monday, Spielman held a press conference in which he said the team will let the legal process play out, but it felt Peterson was “disciplining a child.“
On Monday night, Radisson Hotels pulled its sponsorship of the Vikings. Castrol Motor Oil dropped Peterson as its pitchman the next day. Several corporate sponsors, including Anheuser-Busch, issued statements expressing concern over the NFL's handling of the Peterson and Ray Rice situations.
Mark Wilf said that the Vikings’ decision was not made with the sponsors in mind. “We’re constantly in communication with our sponsors,” Wilf said. “And we have a great relationship with them.”
Peterson turned himself in to law enforcement officers in Montgomery County, Texas, last Saturday for allegedly striking his 4-year-old son with a “switch,” which is a thin branch used for whipping. Peterson was released after posting a $15,000 bail.
While he has already appeared in front of a grand jury, Montgomery County first assistant district attorney Phil Grant told ESPN that the running back will likely make a court appearance in the next few weeks. However, it could be several months before the case actually goes to trial.
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