NFL boss Roger Goodell imposes reduced game bans on bounty players – NFL News
Some of the players have lashed out at new penalty levied on them by the National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell and said they will continue to explore appeal options to get the new ruling overturned.
The new suspensions announced for each of the four players over their alleged involvement in the covert bounty programme at New Orleans Saints are reduced from previously announced number by the office.
Yet the players are not content with the ruling and said although there was some progress on part of the league’s boss, he should have admitted that he was at fault while handing down these bans. They said they will continue to fight until they get total
clearance.
New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who has been suspended for a season, tweeted soon after the announcement from the league office that "this is not news to me pride won't let him admit he's wrong." He said he will continue his fight until getting
clearance.
Although an appeal panel that was created by the league’s labour department had vacated these suspensions saying they are wrong on the technical grounds, the commissioner insisted to stick with them.
Goodell wrote in the decision that:
"In my recent meetings with the players and their counsel, the players addressed the allegations and had an opportunity to tell their side of the story.”
He added:
“In those meetings, the players confirmed many of the key facts disclosed in our investigation, most particularly that the programme offered cash rewards for `cart-offs,' that players were encouraged to `crank up the John Deere tractor' and have their opponents
carted off the field, and that rewards were offered and paid for plays that resulted in opposing players having to leave the field of play."
The reduced penalty for other players is four games for Saints defensive end Will Smith, one game for Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, who was originally handed down three game-ban, and two games for free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.
He will serve the suspension after joining a new team.
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