Adrian Peterson: NFL like "modern-day slavery"

Adrian Peterson (28) of the Minnesota Vikings runs against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 28, 2010 in Philadelphia.

/ Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Just when you thought the rancor between the NFL and players had peaked, along comes Adrian Peterson.

In a wide-ranging interview with Yahoo! Sports, the star Minnesota Vikings running back compared the league's labor situation to slavery.

"It's modern-day slavery, you know?" Peterson said. "People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too. With all the money ... the owners are trying to get a different percentage, and bring in more money."

Peterson's remarks were later removed from the Yahoo! Sports post. The interviewer, Doug Farrar, said he believed that Peterson did not literally mean to compare the NFL's contentious labor dispute with the institution of slavery.

"I want to give him the opportunity to provide context as opposed to just running with it," Farrar tweeted.

At least one NFL player took issue with Peterson's analogy. Ryan Grant of the Packers tweeted that he "totally" disagreed with the comments, adding that there is "actually still slavery existing in our world.. Literal modern day slavery.. That was a very misinformed statement."

"But I understand what point he was trying to make," Grant tweeted. "I just feel like he should have been advised a little differently."

It's worth noting Peterson was interviewed just 15 minutes after the union filed papers to decertify so emotions were running high - and words were coming out unfiltered. In fact, when discussing the hot-button topic, the player seemed to realize he should push the self-edit button mid-sentence:

"All some people see is, 'Oh, we're not going to be around football.' But how the players look at it ... the players are getting robbed. They are. The owners are making so much money off of us to begin with. I don't know that I want to quote myself on that..."

[coltsfaninfl11]

Oliwayne, the grammar error and misspelling of "nonetheless" clearly show who the "simple minded" is in this instance.

[stinger35773]

I'll take your slave money Adrian since you don't want it.

[bundye]

What do players expect? They are pawns for the owners to play with, whether you get treated fairly or not! You are there to do their bidding...if the coach doesn't come with so many wins, he's out, etc. Think about it! You set yourself up for this!

[Henri_Rochard]

My employer can fire me or lay me off at will. Ask any other of the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs.

Adrian Peterson should thank his lucky stars that's he big and fast.

Peterson has just made my scheissen list. The rest of the NFL players ought to watch what they say.

The NBA turned me off years ago and I haven't followed the league in any capacity since then. Now granted, I don't have any tall, fast people shivering in their bones, but there are enough ex-NBA fans like me to be putting the hurt on some of the smaller NBA franchises.

[mecury69]

That's what an employer does and can do. How would you like to start your own business and your employees tell YOU how much to pay them?

[love2ridend]

Ok time for Rev Jackson and Sharpton to show up on some type of march.

[northpark2]

I like it. It reminds me how dumb these guys are. We shouldnt have our children look up to these "heros". The real heros are risking their lives today trying to safe a nuclear meltdown. Maybe we should tell our children about these individuals instead of how fast Perterson can run.

[afrazier1]

Slavery? Bad choice of words. The word alone brings to mind indentured labor. Which means NO pay of any kind just room and board. With the kind of money these guys are making if they apply correctly in their lives then they'll live happily ever after. I agree that the owners make way too much money but in our capitalist society that boils down to just life as normal. At this point in time, the rich get richer. What needs to happen is the players should agree to take a cut if the owners pass it on to the public therefore balancing out who gets what and (oh, they're gonna hate me for sayin' this) the redistribution of profits.

[dogsoul]

...um, unless the vast majority of these NFL players started life off as little rich kids, I'd say a few of the poor & middle class got a bit richer too.

[stinger35773]

You can't complain about slavery when you voluntarily sign a contract to play for 6, 7, 8-figure salaries that were reviewed letter by letter with lawyers and agents. You weren't forced to play football. If anything, the fans are treated as slaves, forced to give up over $1000 for a family to come watch you showboat every time you catch a ball or tackle someone. If this is slavery, I'll be a slave for $4 million a year. Just shut the f-ck up and play!

[CarloCaraluzzo]

The only thing that makes the NFL look like slavery are all the black faces. Its amazing how, when professional sports was predominaltly white, all you heard was racial discrimination. Now that its predominately black and they are being paid millions of dollars for a contract, while many families cannot afford a ticket to the game, and they STILL take about how they are being mistreated.
Do we get it yet?

[mi_opinion]

It is deplorable that individuals have chosen to compare current politics to that of Nazi Germany and for atheletes to compare their employment status to slavery. It is a discredit to the memory of the evils of the past to state that any of these situations are in any way comparable. I doubt that there would be any slaves who would feel sorry for any of these atheletes.

[mecury69]

Football is a business. Business owners are required to meet federal guidelines as an employer (minimum wage, safety measure comparable to the working environment, etc.)

A business owner has the right to make as much money as he/she/they want. And if an employee does not like those conditions, they have the freedom to work elseware.

No one forces a football player to choose their profession, they make that choose through their own FREE WILL.

[mecury69]

"...they make that 'choice' through their own FREE WILL."

In addition, Adrian Peterson has the freedom to work hard and save enough money to purchase his own football team (or league) and pay the salary he feels is adequate.