Louisiana State Senate passes resolution calling on NFL to tone down New Orleans Saints punishments
New Orleans Saints this offseason are struggling hard with the effects of the National Football League (NFL) punishments handed down to the franchise for running an illegal bounty programme in their defensive roster.
Commissioner, Roger Goodell came down hard on the franchise after a NFL report revealed the existence of a pay-to-injure programme as he delivered the harshest punishments ever handed down to a team in his tenure.
The Saints were fined $ 500,000 in addition to having their second-round draft picks being taken away for two seasons.
This was not all though as Goodell also suspended Saints head coach, Sean Payton for the entire 2012-13 season for lying about the existence of the programme during an earlier NFL investigation while general manager, Mickey Loomis and assistant coach, Joe Vitt also received eight and six-game suspensions respectively.
Players involved in receiving bounties for crunching hits on opponents were also punished. Saints defence captain, Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the entire season while defensive end, Will Smith received a four-game ban for their leadership roles in the bounty scandal.
Such harsh punishments have led to an angry backlash from Saints fans who blame the NFL for deliberately making an example out of their team.
On Monday, the Louisiana State legislature passed a resolution by a 28-1 vote in the Senate calling on the NFL to reconsider its decision.
The resolution stated.
“The sanctions faced by the team will likely have a negative economic impact across the Crescent City and the state as a whole. There is widespread public opinion throughout the state of Louisiana and beyond that the penalties imposed upon the Saints are too harsh and should be reconsidered.”
It continued.
“The Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the National Football League to reconsider the penalties imposed upon the New Orleans Saints.”
Senator J.P Morrell talking to the New Orleans Times-Picayune said about the resolution.
“No one wants to make excuses for what the Saints did but the sanctions are excessive.”
The resolution states exactly what most Saints fans are thinking right now and it remains to be seen how commissioner, Roger Goodell responds to it.
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