Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson revealed in a Bleacher Report story that he still uses physical discipline with his children on occasion.
While starring for the Minnesota Vikings, Peterson was charged in Texas with reckless or negligent injury to a child — his son, who was four at the time. He reached a plea deal in the case and did not serve jail time. The NFL kept Peterson on the “commissioner’s exempt list” for the entire 2014 season.
Peterson said at the time that he used corporal punishment because that was how he was disciplined as a boy.
Peterson told Bleacher Report’s Master Tesfatsion that he now mixes other forms of punishment with physical discipline, adding that he spanked his son with a belt “the other day.”
“There’s different ways I discipline my kids,” Peterson said. “I didn’t let that change me.”
Shortly after he was given his 2014 suspension, Peterson said he would never use a switch again. But he told Bleacher Report that he avoids the technique “nine times out of 10.”
The profile of Peterson prompted some backlash on Twitter:
Again, the person who perpetrated violence (in this case, child abuse) is allowed to frame himself as a victim and allowed to talk about how hard it was for HIM to go through. This is the only update we get about his children: pic.twitter.com/OvpieHyDSD
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 21, 2018
Wow. So many indefensible aspects of this piece. To claim Peterson’s child didn’t scream w/o even mentioning AP stuffed leaves into his child’s mouth during the abuse to stifle the screams…just outrageous. It was in the indictment. Cannot believe Bleacher Report published this.
— Rudy Gersten (@DCBarno) November 21, 2018
According to a 2014 ESPN story, Peterson has six children.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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