Adrian Peterson's child abuse saga may finally be coming to an end. According to ESPN, the Minnesota Vikings running back has negotiated a plea deal with the Texas court assigned to his case. The deal will prevent Peterson from serving jail time, and may allow him to return to the field this season. Instead, according to Yahoo! Sports, Peterson will be sentenced to probation, community service, and a fine, pending the approval of Judge Kelly Case.
BREAKING: Adrian Peterson will plead guilty to misdemeanor reckless assault and will not serve any jail time. (via ESPN & Media reports)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 4, 2014Peterson's return with the Vikings would come as a surprise to at least a few spectators who have been keeping tabs on his case. Earlier in the year, there were reports indicating that Peterson would never play for the Vikings again. There was also added speculation suggesting that Peterson would face a lengthy suspension from the league, even if he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Of course, a Week 10 or 11 or 12 appearance is by no means assured for Peterson yet. Peterson's current status on the NFL exemption list presents an unprecedented decision for the league. Now that Peterson and his team have negotiated a deal, will he be cleared to come back to the team, since the justice system has made its final decision on the matter? Or will the league be forced to weigh a more concrete punishment against Peterson, lest they fear another wave of public criticism?
Knowing Roger Goodell (who, by the way, is facing a trial of his own this week), the outcome of Peterson's case is sure to be an interesting one. Stay tuned for more developments.
