Following the arbitrator’s decision on Friday that upheld Adrian Peterson’s suspension by the league, the NFL Players Association (“NFLPA”) filed a suit in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis.
According to the filing, the NFLPA claimed that arbitrator Harold Henderson was prejudiced and unfair in affirming the suspension. The NFLPA argued Henderson’s former executive position at and financial ties to the NFL make him biased. Moreover, it further claimed that the decision ignored due process and followed the NFL’s new policy, which was implemented without collective bargaining. While the old policy mandates a two-game suspension, the new policy adopted by the league after the Ray Rice incident imposes a six-game suspension for a first-time offender of domestic violence.
His suspension became controversial when a tape recording of a phone call between NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent and Peterson surfaced. In the call, Vincent offered Peterson a two-game suspension and urged him to “go through the process,” meaning he should attend a November 14 meeting with NFL officials. Peterson declined to do so, and an indefinite suspension was imposed two days later. During the appeals process, Vincent denied making any promises to Peterson, and the NFL denied Vincent was speaking on its behalf. Henderson, a former NFL executive, agreed with the league.
Calling the tape “the tip of the iceberg,” NFLPA executive direct DeMaurice Smith said shortly before the filing, “This is a part of something that is bigger than just Adrian Peterson, Troy Vincent, Ray Rice … this is another instance in which the National Football League will say anything on one day and do anything on another day to try to support a position that at this point is completely devoid of any rationality.”