Minnesota governor says Adrian Peterson should be suspended

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton thinks Adrian Peterson is “innocent until proven guilty.”

But Dayton also calls the Vikings’ star running back’s alleged actions “a public embarrassment.”

So where exactly does the governor stand on Peterson, who has been arrested on suspicion of causing injury to a child and indicted on child abuse charges?

Despite his seemingly contradictory statements on the matter, Dayton made his position perfectly clear in a statement he released Tuesday:

“It is an awful situation. Yes, Mr. Peterson is entitled to due process and should be ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ However, he is a public figure; and his actions, as described, are a public embarrassment to the Vikings organization and the State of Minnesota. Whipping a child to the extent of visible wounds, as has been alleged, should not be tolerated in our state. Therefore, I believe the team should suspend Mr. Peterson, until the accusations of child abuse have been resolved by the criminal justice system.”

Peterson was deactivated by the Vikings for last Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots but reinstated by the team on Monday.

“Currently we believe we are at a juncture where the most appropriate next step is to allow the judicial process to move forward,” Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf said Monday in a joint statement.

Seems like everyone agrees on that part. It’s whether or not Peterson should be playing in the meantime that has become the subject of debate.

Twitter: @chewkiii