Suspended running back Adrian Peterson, in conjunction with the NFL Player's Association, will seek immediate reinstatement by the league, according to a report from Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter of ESPN.
In a letter sent to the league on Friday, the NFLPA demanded immediate reinstatement for Peterson per the agreement the sides made for the Minnesota Vikings running back to go on the commissioner's exempt list in September, sources told Mortensen and Schefter.
The agreement to place Peterson on the commissioner's exempt list explicitly states that Peterson would be removed from the list upon resolution of his legal matter, sources said. Peterson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor last week.
The NFLPA is also arguing Peterson should be eligible to play immediately until the league is finished with its review under the personal conduct policy which determines whether there is any disciplinary action – essentially they want the league to treat Peterson's personal conduct review exactly as they would for any other player.
Meanwhile, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, reports that there is an internal debate brewing inside the Minnesota Vikings organization over whether or not to welcome Peterson back to the team with open arms should he in fact be reinstated.
Rapoport said that there is disagreement among "some executives," about the suspended running back's status.
"Some executives" seems entirely plausible considering teammates and coaches, no doubt, want Peterson to return badly. Minnesota – 4-5 and in second-to-last place in the NFC North – has performed poorly this season without the bruising back and the injection of talent and leadership that would come along with Peterson's possible return to the lineup could potentially invigorate the squad and lead to a second half of the season resurgence.
Mortensen and Schefter report that, should Peterson be reinstated, the "majority of the Vikings' football operations executives, as well as the coaching staff and players, want the running back on the team."
If there is push back on the idea of Peterson's return home, it is likely coming from an individual or individuals inside the organization whose job status is not determined by the success or failure of the team.
This article has been updated.
