Per Adam Schefter, Vikings legal counsel Kevin Warren, who was the lead on protecting the team against allegations made by former punter Chris Kluwe, was one of the Vikings executives who reportedly did not want Peterson back with the team. Peterson mentioned at least one person within the organization in his excellent interview by Tom Pelissero in USA Today. Schefter’s words:
When Adrian Peterson told USA Today there were people in Vikings’ organization who did want him back and people in the organization who didn’t, the person he was referring to who wasn’t in favor of his return was the team’s general counsel, Kevin Warren, per league sources. Warren and the NFL have been working to make sure Peterson did not return this season, per sources familiar with the case. Now there are questions about whether Peterson will return to Minnesota at all next season. There were those in the Vikings organization who were, and still are, in favor of Peterson’s return, including the coaches, front office and players. But per sources, Peterson believes at least one individual didn’t want him back.
It isn’t surprising to me that the lawyer is the one who didn’t want him back. Though the locker room is largely unified in wanting Peterson back (or at the very least, universally in favor, unless you ask Mike Freeman) and the coaching staff is fully on board with bringing Peterson back, per a recent interview with ESPN. The front office has indicated for the moment that they don’t want to trade or release Peterson, but will re-evaluate that stance at the end of the season.
The most surprising revelation has been that Warren worked with the NFL to keep Peterson off the field. This directly contradicts what owners Mark and Zygi Wilf attempted to do:
It’s always nice to see these divisions crop up.
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Wonder if Mr. Warren gets canned...eh if he helped the NFL and that scumbag Goodell, I'm all for it.
this Kevin Warren guy sucks, i think he may have been behind the push to get rid of kluwe in the same way he has recently with peterson. kluwe and peterson are/were fan favorites. way to keep players we enjoy watching off our team. time to start thinking about the fans and the quality of football on the field, not sponsorship dollars.
company lawyers often superfluously try to justify their jobs, but rarely have i heard of one doing something directly against the wishes of the company's executives. if warren was the singular voice against AD's return this season and he soon leaves the vikings organization, we'll know he was acting in conflict with the wilfs, but this might not be the case. this might be just a smoke screen
I am with my friend C. Carter on this one. I remember on numerous occasions working at New Albany Country Club, that Warren was the topic of many bad conversations in the legal arena. I am sure that the Vikings organization will have to look further into what is really going on with this one.
Can you tell us more, this is intriguing. But I think it unlikely he was going all rogue. Plus, he isn't canned today, so ... I am thinking he wasn't going all rogue.
Kevin Warren - Traitor! Warren and the NFL have been working to make sure Peterson did not return this season.
this will be really good for the brand and the way players look at the team management for sure....
Anybody who is any good will want out of the organization ASAP.