Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson is likely to face a trial on reckless child injury charges next year, authorities said.
Peterson, who has run for 10,115 yards in seven NFL seasons, was deactivated for the Vikings' game Sunday against New England in part so he could deal with the charges against him, which could bring up two two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Peterson surrendered himself early Saturday morning to Texas authorities on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child and was released on bail.
The incident stems from Peterson disciplining his four-year-old son with switches from a tree, striking him with enough force to leave damage days later.
The NFL announced on Saturday it would review Peterson's actions under its personal conduct policy. As such, it could be considered domestic violence and open to newer, harsher penalties created last month by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Peterson's scandal hit the world's richest sports league the same week the league saw an uproar over star rusher Ray Rice, who was fired by the Baltimore Ravens and banned indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released showing him brutally punching the woman who is now his wife in a hotel elevator.
Phil Grant, an assistant district attorney for Montgomery County in Texas where Peterson was charged, said a trial was not likely until next year.
"Mr. Peterson will make a court appearance I assume sometime within the next couple weeks," Grant said.
"This is still in its preliminary stages so it will be several months probably before this case is set for trial. So we would look to maybe a trial date in this matter sometime next year."
That could allow Peterson to play for the Vikings for the remainder of the NFL season that began 10 days ago, much the way Carolina defensive end Greg Hardy still plays for the Panthers while he appeals a misdemeanour assault at a jury trial set for November 17.
Peterson has said he was only disciplining his child the way he was as a child.
"Obviously parents are entitled to discipline their children as they see fit, except when that discipline exceeds what the community would say is reasonable," Grant said.
"A grand jury having indicted this case looked at the injuries that were inflicted upon this child and determined that that discipline was not reasonable."
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