Appeal denied: Vikes' Peterson remains suspended from NFL
Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson has lost his appeal to be reinstated into the National Football League this season, the NFL said Friday.
In November, the league suspended Peterson without pay through the end of the season after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son.
Peterson and the NFL Players Association immediately appealed the NFL's move. This afternoon, however, the NFL announced the appeal was denied.
• Peterson's suspension: What you need to know
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The NFL said appeals hearing officer and former NFL executive Harold Henderson concluded that Peterson had not demonstrated he was treated unfairly and that there was no basis to overturn the suspension.
The players union on Friday said it expected the appeal to be denied "given the hearing officer's relationship and financial ties to the NFL."
Union officials in a statement said they were considering "immediate legal remedies."
Ian Rapoport, who writes for the league's NFL.com web site, reports that federal court may be the next stop.
The decision keeps the suspension in place and makes Peterson ineligible to return to the NFL before April 15.
The Vikings on Friday declined comment on the matter.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in November cited three reasons for the Peterson suspension: Peterson had used a switch to discipline his son; the child was only 4 years old at the time; and Goodell said he felt Peterson hadn't shown remorse.
Read the full NFL appeal decision: