(Sports Network) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has upheld the discipline
that was imposed on four players for their role in the New Orleans Saints'
bounty program.
Jonathan Vilma, who is still with the Saints, received the harshest penalty of
the four. He is suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season, while
teammate Will Smith received a four-game suspension without pay.
Anthony Hargrove, now with the Packers, was suspended eight games without pay,
and Scott Fujita, now with the Browns, was hit with a three-game suspension,
also without pay.
Goodell explained his decision in a letter to the players:
"Throughout this entire process, including your appeals, and despite repeated
invitations and encouragement to do so, none of you has offered any evidence
that would warrant reconsideration of your suspensions. Instead, you elected
not to participate meaningfully in the appeal process...
"Although you claimed to have been 'wrongfully accused with insufficient
evidence,' your lawyers elected not to ask a single question of the principal
investigators, both of whom were present at the hearing (as your lawyers had
requested); you elected not to testify or to make any substantive statement,
written or oral, in support of your appeal; you elected not to call a single
witness to support your appeal; and you elected not to introduce a single
exhibit addressing the merits of your appeal. Instead, your lawyers raised a
series of jurisdictional and procedural objections that generally ignore the
CBA, in particular its provisions governing 'conduct detrimental'
determinations..."
The commissioner added that he has the authority to reduce the suspensions if
new facts emerge. He stated that each of the players were given multiple
chances to present him with their side of the story and that they are still
welcome to do so.
In reaction to the ruling the NFLPA released the following statement:
"The players are disappointed with the League's conduct during this process.
We reiterate our concerns about the lack of fair due process, lack of
integrity of the investigation and lack of the jurisdictional authority to
impose discipline under the collective bargaining agreement. Moreover, the
Commissioner took actions during this process that rendered it impossible for
him to be an impartial arbitrator.
The NFLPA has never and will never condone dangerous or reckless conduct in
football and to date, nothing the League has provided proves these players
were participants in a pay-to-injure program. We will continue to pursue all
options."
The Sports Network