NFL Players Ass'n v. National Football League, No. 15-1438 (8th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseLeague Commissioner Roger Goodell, during the 2014 football season, suspended Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson indefinitely and fined Peterson a sum equivalent to six games' pay. Peterson’s suspension stemmed from his plea of nolo contendere in November 2014 to a charge of misdemeanor reckless assault on one of his children. After Peterson appealed his discipline to an arbitrator, the arbitrator affirmed the suspension and fine. The district court then granted Peterson's petition to vacate the arbitration decision and the League appealed. The Commissioner subsequently reinstated Peterson. At issue in this appeal is whether the League may collect the fine imposed by the Commissioner and upheld by the arbitrator. The court concluded that the parties bargained to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator, and the arbitrator acted within his authority. The court rejected the Association's remaining contentions that the arbitrator was "evidently partial' and that the arbitration was “fundamentally unfair.” Accordingly, the court reversed the district court’s judgment vacating the arbitration decision and the court remanded with directions to dismiss the petition.
Court Description: Colloton, Author, with Loken and Murphy, Circuit Judges] Civil case - Arbitration. When the Commissioner of the NFL suspended Adrian Peterson in 2014 he also imposed a fine equal to six weeks' salary; Peterson has returned to play, and the issue before the court is whether the League may collect the fine imposed by the Commissioner and affirmed by the arbitrator; the parties bargained to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator and the arbitrator acted within his authority in affirming the fine; arguments that the arbitrator was "evidently partial" and that the arbitration was fundamentally unfair rejected; the district court erred in vacating the arbitrator's decision regarding the fine and the matter is remanded with directions to dismiss the Association's petition to vacate the arbitrator's decision.
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