Vikings Announce That Adrian Peterson Will Be Back On The Field This Week Following His Child "Spanking" Abuse Deactivation Scandal

Minnesota Vikings announced that Adrian Peterson will be back on the football field this week as the team takes on the New Orleans Saints Sunday.

The Vikings deactivated Peterson after allegations surfaced that he abused his 4-year-old son by spanking him with a "switch." Peterson was charged with felony child abuse. 

Peterson will report back to work as the "judicial process" moves forward. 

Team owner Zygi Wilf explained his decision in a statement that read, "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."