Adrian Peterson's 2014 Suspension Improperly Vacated According to Court Ruling

The NFL has won its appeal against Adrian Peterson dating back to his 2014 suspension and the subsequent lawsuit by Peterson and the NFL Players Association against the NFL, according to gaming and sports law attorney Daniel Wallach:

Per Wallach, there was no dissenting opinion in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, which strengthens the NFL's case in the event Peterson and the NFLPA try to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The NFLPA released a statement on the decision, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:

For Peterson, the decision won't change much in the present, according to Wallach and Rapoport:

The NFL suspended Peterson without pay in the 2014 season after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault, per Conor Orr of NFL.com. An arbitrator upheld the suspension, which led to the NFLPA lawsuit.

The union argued that "arbitrator Harold Henderson's decision was biased, unfair and contrary to the collective bargaining agreement," per ESPN.com's report at the time. Judge David S. Doty overturned the arbitrator's decision in a U.S. District Court, but the NFL appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

That has only strengthened NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's authority within the collective bargaining agreement, per ESPN business analyst Andrew Brandt:

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Tom Brady's appeal to have his Deflategate suspension overturned in July—the NFL's second major victory in the Court of Appeals this year.

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