NFL star Adrian Peterson arrested ‘for domestic violence’ at Los Angeles airport

Spokesperson for veteran running back describes incident as ‘private misunderstanding between husband and wife’

Adrian Peterson answers press questions in Tennessee in November 2021 (AP/Mark Humphrey)

American football star Adrian Peterson has been arrested for domestic violence after an argument with his wife on a plane leaving Los Angeles, according to reports.

The Los Angeles Airport Police Department said its officers had responded around 8.30am on Sunday to a possible domestic violence incident on board a plane bound for Houston, Texas, and arrived to find “a verbal and physical altercation”.

Mr Peterson, 36, was reportedly arrested and then released on Sunday afternoon with a bail of $50,000 (£36,888). The couple had been in Los Angeles to attend a Super Bowl party held by the satellite TV distributor DirecTV.

A spokesperson for Mr Peterson and his wife Ashley confirmed to ESPN that the couple “had a verbal argument” but said Ms Peterson did not plan to press charges.

The spokesperson said: “This is a private misunderstanding between husband and wife and we anticipate it will all be resolved shortly.”

TMZ further reported that the veteran running back had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, with the plane having to return from the runway to meet with police before taking off with Ms Peterson and without her husband.

Mr Peterson was previously sentenced to probation and fined $4,000 by a Texas judge in 2014 when he pled no contest to recklessly assaulting his then four-year-old son by disciplining him with a tree branch.

At the time he played for the Minnesota Vikings, but in 2017 his contract was not renewed and he became a free agent, meaning he is not under contract for any one team.