Peterson faces ban even if cleared

If Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is found not guilty of a felony child abuse charge in Texas, he could still face a personal conduct suspension without pay from the NFL, according to sources.

One area of consensus that was reaffirmed in last week's league meetings is that violation of workplace rules and personal conduct should not require a conviction, the sources said.

Any facts established in a legal proceeding can be found as a personal conduct violation regardless of the legal outcome. This has been a practice Goodell has exercised in prior cases involving Ben Roethlisberger, Brandon Marshall and Adam "Pacman" Jones.

Prosecutors in Texas filed paperwork last week to have Peterson's bail revoked and the running back re-arrested after he told a drug tester that he had recently smoked marijuana before taking a urinalysis test Wednesday.

Peterson, who is accused of striking his 4-year-old son with a switch, has been free on $15,000 bond on a charge of felony child abuse. A trial has tentatively been set to begin Dec. 1.

He has been on the NFL's exempt/commissioner's permission list since Sept. 17, and he is receiving his full $11.75 million salary. Yet he is barred from all team activities until his case is resolved.