A federal judge has cleared the way for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson to be reinstated, ruling that an NFL arbitrator “failed to meet his duty” in a child abuse case that shook the league.
U.S. District Judge David Doty issued his order Thursday, less than three weeks after hearing oral arguments. Doty overruled NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson’s denial of Peterson’s appeal.
The league suspended Peterson through at least April 15 under its personal conduct policy. But Doty said in his 16-page ruling that Henderson “simply disregarded the law of the shop and in doing so failed to meet his duty” under the collective bargaining agreement.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league will “review the decision.”
NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith said in a statement the decision was a “victory for the rule of law, due process and fairness.”