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NFL appeals judge's Adrian Peterson decision, puts Peterson on exempt list

Even though the NFL was scheduled to review Adrian Peterson's case and decide on his reinstatement in less than two months, the league would rather fight a federal judge's ruling than reinstate Peterson now.

The NFL doesn't like its power challenged, even if Judge David Doty's order to overturn Peterson's suspension read like a how-to manual on screwing up due process in player discipline. So the NFL announced, hours after Doty's ruling, that it will appeal in federal court. Peterson will be put on the commissioner's exempt list. That's the same list Peterson and the league agreed in writing he would not be kept on once his court case, involving him injuring his 4-year-old son disciplining him with a switch, was settled.

Here's the NFL's statement (via the Star-Tribune):

"Judge Doty’s order did not contain any determinations concerning the fairness of the appeals process under the CBA, including the commissioner’s longstanding authority to appoint a designee to act as hearing officer. Even so, we believe strongly that Judge Doty’s order is incorrect and fundamentally at odds with well-established legal precedent governing the district court’s role in reviewing arbitration decisions. As a result, we have filed a notice of appeal to have the ruling reviewed by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the interim, Adrian Peterson will be returned to the Commissioner Exempt List pending further proceedings by appeals officer Harold Henderson or a determination by the Eighth Circuit Court."

Peterson was suspended until at least April 15, and it was expected that his suspension would be lifted at that time by the NFL. But the NFL obviously didn't like the courts telling it that its decision to suspend Peterson was wrong. So it is fighting back, however counter-productive that really is. It is important for Peterson, because if the Minnesota Vikings decide to cut him and his large salary, he'd probably like to hit free agency as soon as possible. Most teams will have spent a majority of their salary-cap space by mid-April because free agency starts March 10.

Still, the Vikings issued a statement that makes it sound that they continue to support him while the legal process continues to play out:

Adrian Peterson is an important member of the Minnesota Vikings, and our focus remains on welcoming him back when he is able to rejoin our organization. Today's ruling leaves Adrian's status under the control of the NFL, the NFLPA and the legal system, and we will have no further comment at this time.

Doty ruled on Thursday that arbitrator Harold Henderson overstepped his authority and applied the NFL's new conduct policy retroactively to Peterson's case, and overturned the suspension. It was up to the NFL to reinstate Peterson or appeal the ruling. The league decided it would rather fight than have its power over the players questioned.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!