Vikings' Warren gets promotion, voices support for Peterson

Kevin Warren continued his rise through the ranks when the Vikings officially named him their chief operating officer on Thursday.

Warren, well-respected after a decade with the Vikings, was already the NFL's highest-ranking black team executive in a non-football position, and the promotion solidified him as the top executive on the business side of the organization.

But during an early-afternoon conference call with select Twin Cities reporters to discuss Warren's new position, the line of questioning quickly turned to his relationship with Adrian Peterson and the suspended running back's future here.

"I think that our organization and individuals in our organization from [owners] Zygi Wilf to Mark Wilf to Coach [Mike] Zimmer to [General Manager] Rick Spielman have made it very clear that they all would welcome Adrian back once he gets all the open items resolved with the league," Warren said. "And I feel the exact same way."

Back in November, ESPN reported that Warren was one executive who was against the Vikings bringing Peterson back. The unconfirmed report also claimed he was working with the NFL to ensure that Peterson did not play again in 2014.

Shortly after Warren's promotion was announced Thursday morning, Pro Football Talk, referencing the ESPN report, speculated that Warren's ascension could signal the end of the Peterson era in Minnesota.

But Warren dispelled that notion on the conference call with a 2-minute, 25-second response praising Peterson for his impact on and off the field. In doing so, Warren became the latest Vikings decisionmaker to support Peterson, echoing co-owner and team president Mark Wilf, who said at an event Wednesday that the Vikings would "love to have him back."

"A lot of things that have been said, it's probably not appropriate to even comment and respond to things that have been said or whatever," Warren said. "But I can tell you that my feelings about Adrian are very positive. They've been positive every day that he's been here with the Vikings.

"I look forward to him having the opportunity to play again, and as Mark Wilf said [Wednesday], once he gets everything resolved and is in a position to play, he's an absolutely incredible football player and he's a great community ambassador and he's been great for the game of football. I hope that he finishes his career here in Minnesota. I hope we can win multiple Super Bowls together. And I hope I can attend his Hall of Fame induction in Canton many years down the road.

"I hope that sets it straight how I feel about Adrian Peterson."

Warren's calm presence at news conferences in September — after Peterson was charged with child abuse in Texas and exiled from the team — signaled that his responsibilities and sway within the organization were continuing to rise.

The Vikings say that Warren, formerly vice president of legal affairs, will now "oversee all aspects of the Vikings business operations and create strategic efforts for all departments." Even with the broader focus that comes with the promotion, Warren will still oversee all legal matters.

"I just want to help set the vision with the senior management and with ownership and just to continually build a first-class business operation and do all that we possibly can do," Warren said. "The ultimate goal for everyone involved has to be to win a world championship."

Warren has played a large role in the design and construction process of the new Vikings stadium. He has been in charge of the team's legal affairs and has represented the Vikings at all league meetings.

He also serves as a member of the NFL's Committee on Workplace Diversity.

His promotion was praised by the Fritz Pollard Alliance that pushes for minority hiring throughout the NFL as another positive step for the league in terms of the elevation of minority employees.

"As things evolve, you hope people just get to the point that they see you for the talent and your work ethic and vision that you bring and not necessarily for the color of your skin," Warren said.

The Vikings see Warren as "an outstanding leader" who is "well-versed in numerous facets of our organization," according to Wilf.

"While our primary focus is winning championships, our organization also continues to evolve with many new initiatives focused on our deserving fans, including the new stadium development, creating the best game day experience in the NFL and continuing to positively impact lives in our community," Wilf said in a statement. "Kevin has earned this opportunity and is the perfect individual to lead us in those areas and to create a strategic vision for our business operations."