Adrian Peterson reinstated by Vikings; Will play vs. Saints

The Minnesota Vikings will activate All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson for Sunday's contest vs. the New Orleans Saints. Here is the statement released by the team.

Today’s decision was made after significant thought, discussion and consideration. As evidenced by our decision to deactivate Adrian from yesterday’s game, this is clearly a very important issue. On Friday, we felt it was in the best interests of the organization to step back, evaluate the situation, and not rush to judgment given the seriousness of this matter. At that time, we made the decision that we felt was best for the Vikings and all parties involved.

To be clear, we take very seriously any matter that involves the welfare of a child. At this time, however, we believe this is a matter of due process and we should allow the legal system to proceed so we can come to the most effective conclusions and then determine the appropriate course of action. This is a difficult path to navigate, and our focus is on doing the right thing. Currently we believe we are at a juncture where the most appropriate next step is to allow the judicial process to move forward.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and support Adrian’s fulfillment of his legal responsibilities throughout this process.

Peterson was deactivated this past Sunday when the Vikings played the New England Patriots. Peterson is widely considered the best running back in the league after rushing for more than 2,000 yards in the 2012 season. He was held to 'just' 1,266 yards in 2013 after missing two games with a groin injury.