Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson entered a courtroom recently to find out a trial date for his child abuse case. Peterson was waiting for a court date for his trial regarding allegations that he abused his four year old son by beating him with a switch (branch from a tree). A judge in Texas set the date for December 1st. This means that Peterson won’t be able to step foot onto a football field for the next 2 months. If the case goes on long enough, Peterson may not play this season at all. The Vikings’ last regular season game is December 28th.

In the end, if Peterson is found guilty of child abuse, he could face up to two years in prison and receive a $10,000 fine. Peterson says he never intended to injure his son, but he wanted to discipline him the way he was disciplined growing up. In the state of Texas, it is legal for a parent to discipline their child without using deadly instruments or excessive force. With this law, Peterson may have a say in this upcoming case. This means that for now, Peterson, the NFL, the Vikings organization, the fans, and the general public will have to wait for the verdict in the coming months.