The two-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson has died, according to police in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Peterson's son was allegedly assaulted by a 27-year-old man who was dating the boy's mother.

"Thank you to my family, my fans and fans of other teams for their support," Peterson wrote on his official Twitter account. "The NFL is a fraternity of brothers and I am thankful for the tweets, phone calls and text messages from my fellow players. God Bless everyone and thank u so much."

Joseph Robert Patterson was charged with aggravated assault and aggravated battery on an infant. Patterson is being held on $750,000 bond and the Lincoln County State Attorney's Office is contemplating more charges, according to reports.

The 2012 NFL Most Valuable Player returned to work Friday and told Minnesota reporters he intends to play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. That was prior to the news that his son had died, though.

"I will be playing Sunday, without a doubt," Peterson said. "I really appreciate all the support that I’ve been receiving from fans and the Vikings organization. This is a private matter and I would ask you all to please just respect my privacy and not ask at all about the situation at hand."

National Football Post extends its deepest condolences to Peterson and his family.

Follow me on Twitter: @RavensInsider

Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun.