Minnesota Vikings

Adrian Peterson might have the smoking gun he needs to get his indefinite suspension overturned -- audio of NFL exec Troy Vincent seemingly promising the Vikings star he'd only sit for 2 games.

Peterson had previously claimed Vincent made the promise, but now -- 2 days after an arbitrator denied AP's appeal to overturn the suspension -- ABC News played audio of the Nov. 12 convo between Vincent and Peterson.

On the tape, Vincent never uses the p-word, but does say ... "I gave you my word." He also hints Peterson needs to "go through the process" quietly. Translation: keep your mouth shut, don't blast the league ... and you'll be back on the field in no time.

The NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit Monday on AP's behalf, challenging the decision on Friday to uphold his indefinite suspension.

Earlier this month we talked to Vincent about the alleged "promise." Interestingly, he didn't say AP was wrong for calling him out -- and only said he was "praying" for him.

Adrian Peterson has almost ZERO chance of getting back on the field this season -- the NFL star's appeal of his suspension was denied Friday.

Peterson was immediately placed on leave after his arrest for abusing his 4-year-old son. The case wrapped up on Nov. 4 .. when he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault. He had hoped the NFL would reinstate him shortly after that.

No dice. Instead the Vikings running back was suspended without pay. He appealed the NFL ruling, but an independent arbitrator ruled today the punishment was fair and consistent ... and refused to lift the suspension.

Peterson plans to appeal the ruling in federal court, but with only 3 Sundays left in the regular season ... it's highly unlikely he'll be back in 2014.

Ray Rice got his suspension overturned back on Nov. 28 -- but still hasn't been signed by an NFL team.

He's essentially being called a liar by Adrian Peterson, but NFL exec Troy Vincent says he's gonna keep praying for the NFL star ... during their heated legal war over AP's suspension.

Long story short ... Peterson says he has an audio recording of a phone call in which Vincent (acting on behalf of the NFL) promised that the league would only discipline AP based on the old, weak pre-Ray Rice player conduct policy.

Instead, Peterson says he got much harsher discipline -- he was suspended without pay by the NFL until at least April 2015. Peterson's team says the ban is completely unfair and conflicts with what he was told by Vincent.

Peterson is appealing the ban -- and the proceedings began yesterday ... but Vincent was in Washington D.C. at a hearing on domestic violence in pro sports.

On his way out, TMZ Sports asked Vincent about the AP situation -- and he told us, "I just pray for Adrian. I'm just gonna keep praying for him."

Troy has been ordered to testify at the Peterson hearing tomorrow.

Adrian Peterson is finally speaking out -- saying he's a changed man and vows to never hit any of his children with a switch again ... in what seems like an obvious ploy to appease NFL commish Roger Goodell.

The NFL star just gave an interview with USA Today, essentially saying he now understands why people are upset at the way he disciplined his 4-year-old son ... and that he feels terrible about it.

"There's different situations where a child needs to be disciplined as far as timeout, taking their toys away, making them take a nap. There's so many different ways to discipline your kids."

He added, "No one knows how I felt when I turned my child around after spanking him and seeing what I had left on his leg. No one knows that dad sat there and apologized to him, hugged him and told him that I didn't mean to do this to you and how sorry I was."

"I love my son. I love my kids, my family. Like I said after I took the misdemeanor plea, I take full responsibility for my actions. I regret the situation. I love my son more than any one of you could even imagine."

The timing of the interview is VERY curious ... considering NFL commish Roger Goodell just ripped Peterson in a letter for having shown "no meaningful remorse" since the incident.

In a letter, which Goodell made public, the NFL commish explained why he banned AP for the rest of the season without pay.

"You have shown no meaningful remorse for your conduct. When indicted, you acknowledged what you did, but said that you would not ‘eliminate whooping my kids’ and defended your conduct in numerous published text messages to the child’s mother."

Goodell continued ... "You also said that you felt ‘very confident with my actions because I know my intent.’ These comments raise the serious concern that you do not fully appreciate the seriousness of your conduct, or even worse, that you may feel free to engage in similar conduct in the future.”

So, the question now ... you buyin' AP's new stance? Or is it just lip service to try and get back on Roger's good side?

Adrian Peterson will not play in the NFL this season ... he's been suspended for at least the rest of the year -- without pay -- for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The earliest Peterson will be considered for reinstatement is April 15, 2015.

In a letter to Peterson informing him of the suspension, commissioner Roger Goodell wrote, "The timing of your potential reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program set forth in this decision. Under this two-step approach, the precise length of the suspension will depend on your actions."

He continued, "We are prepared to put in place a program that can help you to succeed, but no program can succeed without your genuine and continuing engagement. You must commit yourself to your counseling and rehabilitative effort, properly care for your children, and have no further violations of law or league policy."

Ricky Williams says he doesn't believe Adrian Peterson did ANYTHING wrong when he beat his 3-year-old son with a switch ... saying it's just the way black people raise their kids.

The former NFL star appeared on "Jim Rome on Showtime" and explained why he thinks there's no way in hell a jury comprised entirely of black people would ever find Peterson guilty of a crime.

Check out the clip ... Ricky insists corporal punishment is the status quo in the African-American community ... and Rome pushes back pretty hard.

Adrian Peterson wants everyone to know he's a super dad ... so he dropped a picture of himself online Saturday that can be summed up with one word -- REALLY?!

Peterson tweeted a pic behind a cardboard cutout of "Super Dad" ... with his head in the empty hole -- alongside his young daughter.

The caption read, "My beautiful daughter A'deja. Dad's & Donuts Day. #LOVE "

Now we know it's a nice gesture ... but with his history of child abuse -- see here and here -- is it really a wise decision to tout yourself as "Super Dad" online?!

Adrian Peterson has been sentenced to probation in his child abuse case -- and will be subjected to random drug tests.

The Minnesota Vikings player just appeared in a Texas courtroom where a judge signed off on his plea deal ... in which the original felony child abuse charge was reduced to misdemeanor domestic violence in exchange for a no contest plea.

Peterson was also sentenced to 80 hours of community service and ordered to pay a $4,000 fine.

After the hearing, Peterson addressed the media, saying, "I want to say I truly regret this incident. I take full responsibility for my actions. I love my son, more than anyone of you could even imagine."

You knew it would happen ... and last night in Los Angeles we got THAT guy -- you know, the one who dressed up as Adrian Peterson for Halloween and whipped a toy baby with a switch.

It may seem a little over the line ... but you know every costume party this year is gonna have at least one person wearing the purple #28 jersey.

And besides, it's not like he dressed up as Ray Rice!

Oh wait ... someone already did that too.

Prosecutors in the Adrian Peterson child abuse case have a tough fight ahead of them ... they tried to 86 the judge for trashing them ... and they just failed.

Another judge has ruled ... Judge Kelly Case will continue to preside in the trial ... even after calling the district attorney and Adrian's attorney "media whores."

TMZ broke the story ... the D.A. demanded and got an apology from the judge ... but they wanted more -- they wanted him off the case. Judge Case wouldn't budge, so prosecutors went to the wall with another judging ... claiming Case harbors a personal grudge against the D.A.

The second judge said prosecutors must show compelling evidence that Case is biased ... and they failed.

So Case is still on the case.

Adrian Peterson did not use funds from his charity to pay for a hotel room where an orgy allegedly took place ... and claims he's never taken money from his charity for his own personal use.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported this week, Peterson was accused of using a credit card linked to his charity to pay for a hotel room in 2011 for himself, his brother, his uncle and four women.

But a rep for Peterson's foundation tells TMZ Sports ... Peterson has never used a foundation credit card for any personal expenses. In fact, the rep says Peterson never even had a foundation credit card.

The report specifically names Peterson's uncle as the one who used the credit card on a hotel room in 2011 ... but the foundation rep says the uncle never had a card either.

Vikings player Tom Johnson says cops left out a big part of the story surrounding his arrest -- which is that officers physically assaulted him before taking him into custody ... and he's now come forward with video.

Johnson was arrested early Sunday morning in Minneapolis ... after police say he refused to leave a nightclub. Johnson was pepper sprayed, and eventually tased before they arrested him.

But Johnson's reps say there was no reason for officers to tase him ... and they feel that's obvious from this video the Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle shot on his phone. In the clip ... Johnson is recording 2 officers as they leave the club, and he asks them, "Do you feel good about it?"

He's referring to the fact he had just been pepper sprayed. One cop responds, "Got your ID on you?"

Johnson's reps say right after that ... the cop "slapped Johnson's hand and arm knocking his cell phone to the ground and shattering the screen." They say the officer tased him when Johnson reached for the phone.

The police report says Johnson was tased because he was "uncooperative."

Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson was TASED by cops at a Minneapolis nightclub ... BECAUSE PEPPER SPRAY DIDN'T STOP HIM ... this according a police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

Johnson was arrested early Sunday morning at Seven Steakhouse Sushi Ultralounge Skybar -- where he was allegedly causing trouble around 3AM.

According to the police report, Johnson was told to leave the building -- but refused ... so cops decided to break out the pepper spray.

But Johnson -- 6'3", 288 lbs -- wasn't fazed ... so cops broke out the stun gun.

He was eventually taken into custody and booked for disorderly conduct and trespassing.

Johnson posted $78 bail -- and was released later that day. He's due back in court on Oct. 17.

NFL star Adrian Peterson was the target of a criminal sexual assault investigation, but authorities ultimately cleared him ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... the alleged incident occurred in 2011 at a party in Eden Prairie, a suburb of Minneapolis. We're told ... the woman complained to authorities and Adrian denied anything occurred without the woman's consent.

A criminal investigation was opened, and numerous witnesses were interviewed. Peterson's lawyer, Peter Wold, tells TMZ ... "all witnesses who we interviewed concurred with Adrian's story." Further, Wold tells us ... authorities tested 3 DNA samples ... 2 excluded Peterson and one was inconclusive.

Wold also says Peterson submitted to a polygraph test and the results showed he was truthful and the authorities closed the case and no charges were ever filed.

The attorney calls the allegation "a bogus story that has nothing to do with reality."

Adrian Peterson says he HATED the way his parents physically disciplined him while he was growing up -- but believed it was effective ... and that's why he treats his kids the same way.

AP opened up about his childhood -- and his disdain for the way he was punished -- during a 2012 interview with Graham Bensinger ... saying:

"I feel like I just have to teach [my kids] the ropes along the way and stay on them and really be disciplined ... not to the point where they’re hating you when they’re older, like my dad did and my mom did growing up," Peterson said.

The NFL star -- who's now facing child abuse charges after beating his 4-year-old son with a tree branch -- went on to explain why even though he "hated" his parents at times, he believes their tough love instilled important values that he wants to pass on to his own children.

Can Supernanny save Adrian Peterson???

She thinks so ... and now TMZ Sports has learned Jo Frost has reached out the to NFL offering to help the embattled running back.

The reality star and parenting expert -- who recently worked with Peterson on an EpiPen promotional campaign -- says she was "very saddened" when she saw how AP disciplined his child ... and felt compelled to help.

Frost says she strongly believes she can teach Peterson how to be an effective parent WITHOUT using violence -- and has contacted both the NFL and Peterson to offer her expertise.