Adrian Peterson was indicted on child abuse charges and then deactivated by his own team (@CNN/Twitter)

The rough week continues for the NFL. 

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted by a Texas grand jury Friday afternoon on charges of negligent and reckless injury to a child, according to Fox Houston. 

That child is Peterson's four-year-old son, whose account of the abuse is a graphic one. 

According to reports, Peterson hit his child multiple times with a tree branch, leaving lacerations, bruise marks and cuts on the boy's legs and thighs. The boy claims Peterson hit him in the face with belts, and that Peterson had a "whooping room" and liked to keep belts and switches.

Peterson reportedly coooperated with authorites after the case was brought to Texas sheriff invesitgators earlier this year, and said he had no "ill-intent", but understood why the incident was being reported after his child was taken to a doctor's appointment by his mother. 

Though Peterson did not remain arrested, the indictment and the graphic account of the incidents have forced the hand of his team, the Minnesota Vikings.

According to ESPN, the Vikings responded swiftly by deactivating Peterson from Sunday's game against the Patriots just hours after the indictment. Peterson's status for the rest of the season remains unknown, and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says the case and the investigation continues. The running back's attorney has recently said Peterson will certainly surrender to authorities. 

After the Ray Rice saga—which remains unfinished—it will be interesting to see if Roger Goodell and the NFL will actually enforce their newly established 6-game suspension for domestic violence charges. 

Reach Web Producer Paolo Uggetti here, or follow him on Twitter.