After arbitrator Harold Henderson denied Adrian Peterson‘s appeal earlier today, ensuring that Peterson’s suspension would remain in place, the Vikings running back voiced his displeasure with the case to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, and even admitted that he’s thought about quitting football.

“I’ve considered retiring from the NFL,” Peterson told Goessling in a 60-minute phone call. “I still made $8MM this year. I’ve thought about getting back into the real estate (business in Texas) I’m already in. That’s something I’ve been interested in, something I’m involved in. I’ve thought about getting back into that. I’ve thought about going after the Olympics — you only live once. It might be time for me to pursue that, as well.

I love playing football, don’t get me wrong, but this situation is deeper than that. For me, it’s like, ‘Why should I continue to be a part of an organization or a business that handles players the way they do? Making money off the field anyway, why not continue to pursue that (Olympic) dream and pursue other dreams and hang up the cleats?'”

Peterson also relayed that he plans on filing a federal lawsuit against the NFL, claiming that league official Troy Vincent told him in early November that if he attended a meeting with Roger Goodell, he would be suspended for just two games. Peterson ultimately opted against taking the meeting because the league refused to inform of the specifics and implications of the summit.

A report yesterday suggested that the Vikings would welcome Peterson back to the team, though they would likely want to him to accept a reduced salary — currently, the average annual value of his contract is more than $5MM higher than the second-highest paid running back. Retirement talk aside, Peterson doesn’t believe he should have to take a pay cut from his current salary (his 2015 cap hit is $15.4MM) to remain in Minnesota. “I don’t see why it would be the case,” he said. “I see me being a better player than I was.”

4:37pm: The NFLPA has released the following statement in response to the Peterson decision:

“The NFLPA expected this outcome, given the hearing officer’s relationship and financial ties to the NFL. The decision itself ignores the facts, the evidence and the collective bargaining agreement. This decision also represents the NFL’s repeated failure to adhere to due process and confirms its inconsistent treatment of players. Our union is considering immediate legal remedies.”

4:16pm: Arbitrator Harold Henderson has denied the appeal of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello (via Twitter). As such, Peterson will have to serve his original suspension, meaning he won’t be back on an NFL field until at least 2015, and he will forfeit six 2014 game checks.

“I conclude that the player has not demonstrated that the process and procedures surrounding his discipline were not fair and consistent,” Henderson said in a statement, per Aiello (Twitter links). “He was afforded all the protections and rights to which he is entitled, and I find no basis to vacate or reduce the discipline.”

Peterson, who was indicted in a child abuse case earlier this year and ultimately accepted a no-contest plea, was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while his legal proceedings played out. When his plea deal was agreed upon, the league kept Peterson on that exempt list for a little extra time before eventually announcing that the running back had been suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season, and wouldn’t be considered for reinstatement until at least April 15.

The affirmation of the NFL’s penalty for Peterson doesn’t come as a surprise, considering Henderson is considered a strict arbitrator — earlier in the year, he upheld Josh Gordon‘s season-long suspension, though a modified drug policy eventually reduced that ban to 10 games. Still, Henderson’s decision doesn’t mean the case can be put to rest. As Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports tweets, Peterson and the NFL Players Association are now expected to pursue a lawsuit in federal court. There’s virtually no chance Peterson plays again this season, but the NFLPA’s goal will be to push for potential reinstatement for the Pro Bowler prior to April 15, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com.

Peterson’s argument in his appeal hinged in part on an assertion that NFL executive Troy Vincent told him he would be credited for “time served” for his paid leave on the exempt list. However, given the lack of precedent for the case, and the open-ended nature of the league’s personal conduct policy – which allows commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend players for longer than six games for domestic violence incidents if there are “aggravating circumstances” – it was a tricky argument for Peterson and the union to make. Henderson ultimately determined that Peterson’s time on the exempt list didn’t constitute “discipline,” tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Regardless of how the upcoming lawsuit plays out, it’s reasonably fair to assume that Peterson’s suspension will be lifted in time for the 2015 season. In fact, a source tells Rapoport (Twitter link) that if the running back “does what he’s supposed to do” between now and April 15, he’ll be on the field for the start of 2015. Still, it’s not clear if Peterson will be back in a Vikings uniform.

A report yesterday indicated that the Vikings would welcome back the 29-year-old, though the team would almost certainly want to rework his contract to reduce an exorbitant 2015 cap hit. If the two sides can’t work something out, Peterson could find himself on the free agent market, well after most teams have made their major free agent expenditures for the year. So Peterson’s reinstatement will be an interesting case to keep an eye on over the next several months.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

The appeal hearing for Adrian Peterson came to an end yesterday when NFL executive Troy Vincent testified before hearing officer Harold Henderson, and a decision could come next week, according to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, who writes that the Vikings running back is “likely (but not certain)” to be reinstated.

The tidbit from King is somewhat buried in his preview of Week 14’s games, and doesn’t explicitly cite any sources, so it’s not clear if the SI scribe is actually reporting that Peterson’s suspension is expected to be lifted by Henderson or passing along rumors. At the very least, it seems to be informed speculation, considering King is one of the more plugged-in reporters in the industry.

If Peterson were to be reinstated next week, it would force the Vikings to make an interesting decision. At 5-7, Minnesota doesn’t have a realistic shot at the playoffs, and the team had been considered a good bet to release the Pro Bowl running back in the offseason due to an increasingly exorbitant cap hit. So it’s not clear if the team would activate Peterson for the final three games of the season, a move that could potentially rankle some sponsors and fans.

Before the Vikings face that decision though, we’ll have to get the official word on Peterson’s appeal. Based on how long Henderson and other arbitrators have taken to rule on various cases this year, it may be optimistic to expect a decision within the next few days, but perhaps with the season winding down, Henderson will move quickly to resolve the situation.