EDEN PRAIRIE — Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson has returned to the team after missing Thursday’s practice to tend to a personal matter.

The website TMZ reports his 2-year-old son was beaten by a man dating the mother of the child.

Peterson was on the field for stretching with the Vikings on Friday morning. He left for the locker room briefly during special teams drills, which he doesn’t participate in, and returned later. The team has not specified Peterson’s absence on Thursday.

His father, Nelson Peterson, said the son in critical condition in a hospital in South Dakota.

Peterson is second in the NFL with 421 yards rushing and first in the league with five touchdowns.

The Vikings (1-3) host the Carolina Panthers (1-3) on Sunday.