Adrian Peterson, a former NFL Most Valuable Player, is in legal trouble again in Texas, as two arrest warrants have been issued for him due to his failure to appear in court regarding two separate child support cases.

The ex-Minnesota Vikings star earned over $100 million during his NFL career from 2007 to 2021 and is expected to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the future. However, this week, warrants were issued against him in Fort Bend County, Texas, near Houston, where he is also contending with property seizures aimed at settling a debt exceeding $12 million.

“What’s happening currently is a misunderstanding about Adrian’s court appearances related to child support. He is actively collaborating with his legal representatives to swiftly resolve this issue,” stated his publicist, Denise White. “He is dedicated to resolving this situation positively and moving forward.”

In an unrelated incident, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor assault in October after being accused of striking a woman in May in the same county. He received a $500 fine but no jail time for that incident, as per court documents.

Implications of Adrian Peterson’s NFL Benefits

The warrants issued in the child support cases are capias warrants, which differ from standard arrest warrants as they pertain specifically to his failure to appear in court this month.

“TO ANY PEACE OFFICER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS—GREETING,” begins one warrant. “YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO ARREST: ADRIAN LEWIS PETERSON, and ensure his presence before the Honorable 328th Judicial District Court of Fort Bend County…”

Both child support cases involve women from Minnesota as the custodial parents. A recent order signed by a judge establishes the child’s entitlement to a portion of Peterson’s NFL benefits for support. The warrants have respective cash bonds set at $9,500 and $7,500.

Overview of Adrian Peterson’s Significant Debt

Earlier in September, another judge in Houston ordered Peterson to surrender various assets to address a debt amounting to over $12 million. This debt originated from a $5.2 million loan he secured from a Pennsylvania lender in 2016, which he failed to repay. A court-appointed agent is attempting to reclaim his assets to settle this debt and even disrupted an auction of his NFL memorabilia and clothing earlier this year, according to legal documents.

The 39-year-old athlete attributes the situation to his former financial advisor, who has not been reachable by YSL News Sports. Peterson commented in a September statement that the loan was not personal but rather a business loan that he believed would be repaid through a venture he co-owned with the financial advisor and another partner.

However, the promissory note for the loan lists only Peterson as the borrower, carrying a 12% interest rate. He agreed to repay it with interest within five months. Additional documentation from October 2016 suggested he was attempting to secure an advance on an anticipated $18 million contract with the Vikings, which ultimately did not come through.

After recovering from a knee injury in 2016, the Vikings chose not to exercise a $18 million contract option in early 2017, making Peterson a free agent. Subsequently, his earnings significantly dropped, never surpassing $3.5 million annually. He has not played in the NFL since 2021.

The loan he pursued in 2016 aimed to consolidate and lower the interest on his existing unsecured debts based on an exhibit related to the agreement.

The debt from that loan has resulted in an $8.3 million judgment against him in 2021, along with $15,000 in attorney fees and 9% annual interest on all amounts owed, according to a filing from the receiver. The estimated total collection amount is approximately $12.5 million, as noted in a court filing from February.