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St. Paul, Minn. • Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says Vikings running back Adrian Peterson should have remained suspended until an accusation of child abuse was resolved in the Texas legal system.
Peterson is accused of using a wooden switch to spank his 4-year-old son. Petersen has said he was sorry for hurting the child but did not intend to and is not a child abuser.
The governor said in a statement to The Associated Press that Peterson is innocent until proven guilty.
But Dayton also called Peterson's actions "a public embarrassment" to the Vikings and the state of Minnesota.
Sponsors not ready to pull plug just yet
Major sponsors including Anheuser-Busch are adding to the chorus of disapproval over the National Football League's recent scandals, but the companies are stopping short of pulling advertising.
Anheuser-Busch said Tuesday that it has spoken with the NFL about concerns related to recent incidents that are sparking outcry from fans, including an investigation into how long the NFL and its commissioner Roger Goodell knew about a video that shows Baltimore Raven Ray Rice beating his then-fiancee; as well as the Minnesota Vikings' decision to let Adrian Peterson play while he faces an abuse charge for spanking his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. McDonald's, Visa and Campbell Soup Co. say they have also voiced similar concerns to the league.
The statements come after Radisson hotels said Monday that it was pulling its sponsorship of the Minnesota Vikings. No other brands have pulled sponsorships from teams or the NFL. Sponsors are making it clear they have made the NFL aware of their concerns. A-B used the harshest language, saying it was "disappointed and increasingly concerned."
But the statements from sponsors are becoming increasingly strongly worded.
Only last week, several big sponsors like GM and FedEx said they were monitoring the situation or watching it closely. Others like Anheuser-Busch and Procter & Gamble stayed silent.
This week, sponsors are making it clear they have made the NFL aware of their concerns. A-B used the harshest language, saying it was "disappointed and increasingly concerned."
Giants bench 2 for injuries, cut Stanton
East Rutherford, N.J. • The New York Giants placed cornerback Walter Thurmond III and wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday.
They were injured Sunday in New York's 25-14 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Thurmond had surgery Tuesday to repair a torn pectoral muscle. Jernigan has a mid-foot sprain. The Giants (0-2) filled the openings by signing wide receiver Julian Talley and linebacker Dan Fox off the practice squad. In other moves, New York terminated defensive end Jordan Stanton's contract from the practice squad and signed wide receivers Travis Harvey and L'Damian Washington and linebacker James Davidson. to the practice squad. ++—
Week 3 schedule
Thursday
• Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 6:25 p.m.
Sunday
11 a.m. games
• Dallas at St. Louis
• Minnesota at N.O.
• San Diego at Buffalo
• Washington at Philadelphia
• Houston at N.Y. Giants
• Tennessee at Cincinnati
• Baltimore at Cleveland
• Green Bay at Detroit
• Indianapolis at Jacksonville
• Oakland at New England
Afternoon games
• S.F. at Arizona. 2:05 p.m.
• Denver at Seattle,2:25 p.m.
• K.C. at Miami, 2:25 p.m.
• Pittsburgh at Carolina, 6:30 p.m.
Monday • Chicago at N.Y. Jets,6:30 p.m.