It was only a matter of time, but Adrian Peterson is now the latest former Nike athlete. After his indictment on a count of reckless or negligent injury to a child last Friday, Nike terminated the contract of former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.
"Nike in no way condones child abuse or domestic violence of any kind and has shared our concerns with the NFL," company spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said in a statement. "We have suspended our contract with Adrian Peterson."
Nike's contracts include moral clauses,which allow them to take action, without penalty, on a deal based on acts that affect the brand. Once Peterson issues his no contest plea, that gave Nike the ability to cut Peterson without any financial blow back. It's been a rough few months for Nike, as Peterson is now the fourth athlete to see their contract terminated following off the field issues. Previously, Nike severed ties with Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius and UFC fighter Jon ‘Bones’ Jones.
It'll be interesting to see where Petersons career goes from here, as he was denied immediate reinstatement to the NFL earlier today. Chances are his career in the league isn't over, but will other brands be willing to take a chance on an athlete with his record? Guess only time will tell. Stick with Sneaker Report for the latest news, and let us know what you think of Nike's decision to cut ties with Peterson.
[ESPN]
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