Running back Adrian Peterson will undergo domestic violence and alcohol counseling following his February airport arrest, according to multiple reports.
Rob Wilcox, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, told the media on Monday that Peterson agreed to complete the 20 counseling sessions within the next six months. The sessions were agreed upon during a pre-filing hearing last week and are an alternative to being prosecuted.
Peterson was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in February after getting into a “verbal and physical altercation” with his wife, according to a Los Angeles Airport Police statement. The incident occurred on the plane that was bound for Houston, and it was forced to return to the gate in Los Angeles following the altercation.
Shortly after, Peterson’s wife, Ashley, defended Peterson in an Instagram post.
“On Sunday, Adrian and I had a verbal argument. Unfortunately it was on an airplane,” she wrote.” At no point did Adrian hit or strike me. This is a private matter between my husband and myself. We ask that everyone respect our privacy so we can focus on what matters most: our children.”
The arrest wasn’t Peterson’s first. In 2014, he was charged with felony child abuse for using a switch to spank his son, who was 4 years old at the time. Peterson later pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of misdemeanor reckless assault, which resulted in two years of probation. The NFL suspended him for one year.
Peterson, 36, is a free agent this offseason and said he wants to play next season. One of the greatest running backs of all-time, the former Vikings standout played for Washington in 2018 and 2019. Last season, he suited up for both Tennessee and Seattle. He ranks fifth in NFL history with 14,918 career rushing yards.
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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