CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 14: Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions tosses his gloves to a fan after a loss to the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 14, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 14: Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions tosses his gloves to a fan after a loss to the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 14, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

By Ashley Dunkak

@AshleyDunkak

ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) – Detroit Lions superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson joined the conversation about Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who reportedly punished his 4-year-old so severely with a switch that doctors noted bruises and cuts and informed police.

After that news broke Friday, Peterson was relegated to the sideline for Sunday’s game. The Vikings announced Monday that Peterson would practice with the team and be available to play this upcoming Sunday. Wednesday the team reversed course yet again and stated Peterson would be benched with pay until the legal process concludes.

Johnson’s first reaction was one of sympathy for Peterson, who has been indicted on a felony count of reckless or negligent injury to a child.

“It’s unfortunate for him,” Johnson said. “Such a good guy, just from being around him. To see something like this happen and interrupt his season, you’re used to seeing the guy put up big numbers, it’s probably going to be another big year for him, you just hate to see something like that happen to him.

“With this whole situation, it’s very unfortunate, and then you have pictures come out and stuff like that, which made it even worse,” Johnson continued. “I’m going to discipline my kids, so – and can’t nobody tell me how to discipline my kids, but like I say, that’s not my situation right now. My situation would be private. It’s not a public matter when you discipline your family, but unfortunately for him it’s become that, and like I say, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with disciplining your child. It teaches them discipline at the same time, and we all need that.”

With the NFL dealing with fallout not only from the Peterson debacle but also from domestic violence cases centering around former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice, Ray McDonald of the San Francisco 49ers and Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers, Johnson made sure to distinguish between the situations.

“Some things are private matters, and there’s some things that shouldn’t be done, like shouldn’t put your hands on a woman, simple as that,” Johnson said. “Talking about Adrian and going from that to the domestic cases that we have with putting your hands on a woman, those are two totally different things to me.”