NFL star Adrian Peterson pleaded no contest Tuesday in a Texas court to one count of misdemeanor reckless assault , avoiding jail time for whipping one of his children . Peterson appeared in a Montgomery County court in Conroe after prosecutors and his attorneys reached a plea deal . Judge Kelly Case agreed to the terms of the deal , in which Peterson pleaded to a lesser charge . The Minnesota Vikings star was sentenced to two years of probation , a $ 4,000 fine and 80 hours of community service , half of which will be taken care of by a public service announcement . He also will take parenting classes . Peterson gave a brief statement outside the courthouse . `` I truly regret this incident , '' he said . `` I stand here and I take full responsibility for my actions . I love my son more than any one of you can even imagine . '' He did n't address a question about when he will return to the NFL . `` We will review the matter , including the court record , and then make a determination on his status . We can not provide a timetable , '' NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said . Peterson 's attorney , Rusty Hardin , called the plea deal `` fair and just . '' Opinion : Spanking is n't child abuse ; it 's common sense . Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said Peterson was n't treated any differently because he is one of the NFL 's marquee players . Peterson -- who in 2011 signed a seven-year contract worth more than $ 100 million and is considered one of the NFL 's best running backs , if not the best -- left the Vikings in September after the team deactivated , then activated and then deactivated him again . He was accused in Texas of whipping his 4-year-old son with a `` switch , '' or slender tree branch , and had originally been charged with felony child abuse . He faced up to two years in prison and a fine . Opinion : Does spanking harm the black community ? Ligon said the punishment was about behavior modification . `` I believe that Mr. Peterson is accepting responsibility ( for hurting his child ) , '' Ligon said . `` I 'm looking forward to him ... taking a role as a responsible parent . ''
Adrian Peterson says he loves his son and regrets the incident . DA says the NFL star received no special treatment . Comment: He is still on the Vikings roster , but has been deactivated .