Adrian Peterson’s mother defends NFL star, says he’s ‘trying hard to be a good parent’

Bonita Jackson, mother of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, talks about her son on the day he was placed on the Commissioner's exempt list on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014, in Houston. Bonita Jackson, mother of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, talks about her son on the day he was placed on the Commissioner's exempt list on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014, in Houston. Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle Photo: Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Adrian Peterson’s mother defends NFL star, says he’s ‘trying hard to be a good parent’ 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

Seated on a couch at her home overlooking a golf course in Spring, Bonita Jackson dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she discussed her distress over the highly charged debate that’s playing out over allegations that her son, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, injured his 4-year-old son by spanking him with a tree branch.

Peterson, 29, is far different from how he’s been portrayed in the media frenzy and in nightly discussions among sports figures and celebrities over the efficacy of corporal punishment, his mother said. She describes Peterson as a loving father who adores his children and who was only applying the same type of discipline that he had received as a child.

"I don’t care what anybody says, most of us disciplined our kids a little more than we meant sometimes," said Jackson, 50. "But we were only trying to prepare them for the real world. When you whip those you love, it’s not about abuse, it’s about love. You want to make them understand that they did wrong."

Jackson said both she and Peterson’s father, Nelson Peterson, who lives in Dallas, were "big disciplinarians" when their children were growing up. She used her hand, switches and belts to occasionally spank all six of her children — though not to the point of injury.

She stressed that her son is now getting counseling to learn alternative discipline methods, such as having a child stand in the corner for five minutes.

Team changes its mind

Jackson was speaking publicly for the first time since her eldest son was indicted by a Montgomery County jury last week on a charge of reckless or negligent injury to a child.

Peterson struck his son with a tree branch used as a "switch" during a visit to Texas in May. Corporal punishment is legal in Texas and non-deadly force against a child by a parent or guardian is permissible. But the punishment is abusive if it causes injury, and guidelines say use of an instrument "is cause for concern."

Peterson faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. He issued a statement Monday denying that he is a child abuser, saying he "did not intend to cause him an injury."

Earlier Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings reversed course on the question of whether Peterson would rejoin the team. With companies threatening to withdraw sponsorships and Minnesota’s governor calling for Peterson to be suspended, the Vikings placed him on the exempt-commissioner’s permission list, a move that will require the league’s 2012 MVP to stay away from the team while he addresses the child injury allegations.

Mother says she's heartbroken

Peterson grew up in East Texas, and Jackson said both she and his father, Nelson Peterson were “big disciplinarians” when their children were growing up.

Jackson said she would be “so angry with anybody who willfully hurt her grandbabies,” whom she says she loves more than her own children.

But she said she’s sure that was never her son’s intent, especially after he had to deal with the death nearly a year ago of one of his own children. Peterson’s 2-year-old son, Tyrese Ruffin, died from severe head injuries. A man who was dating that boy’s mother was indicted on a murder charge in October 2013 and is expected to go to trial next month.

Now Jackson finds herself wanting to protect her extended family — Peterson has six children from different mothers — and concerned about what the future holds for her eldest son.

"It’s been a heartbreaking experience," Jackson said. "Words can’t explain it. I just stay prayerful and God will get the glory."

While her son is not perfect, she said, "he is trying hard to be a good parent. He's working at it. People are judging him for this one incident, but they don’t know his heart. It was never his intent to hurt his son."

She said she remains in contact through text messages with the boy’s mother, who lives in Minnesota and is studying to be a nurse.

"I feel nothing but love for her. She’s so sweet," Jackson said. "At the end of the day, we want to protect our children. It happened and so now we as a family need to work things out and move forward."

The saddest part, Jackson said, is that she and Peterson have been barred from any contact with the 4-year-old, who is an important part of their lives.

"But when we talk to (the boy’s mother), we can hear him laughing and playing in the background. He sounds happy," she said. "I know his mother has much respect for Adrian. She knows he’s a good father, no matter how much people attack his character, only God can judge us."

She said Peterson, who married in July, loves and supports all of his children, only two of whom live in Texas.

"He wants to be a good father to them all and sees them as often as possible," Jackson said.

He was particularly close to the 4-year-old who is the focus of the indictment and who lived near Peterson’s Minnesota home. The boy would often be flown down for visits to his $5 million mansion in The Woodlands.

"He would see him at least once a week or more," said Jackson, who lives a short drive away.

When you have so many children outside of marriage, it can be challenging, she acknowledged.

"But you have to come together, work together and make them productive citizens," she said.

Jackson's current husband noted that it can be difficult interacting with all those mothers and their needs.

"It takes God to deal with it," said the Rev. Frankie Jackson.

His mother quickly added: "But Adrian is good and does a good job. We live with the choices we make."