NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants to put New Orleans Saints bounty scandal behind him - NFL News
National Football League (NFL) commissioner, Roger Goodell, wants to put the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal to bed by the end of this week and wants to move forward from the controversy.
Speaking at the opening of a new NFL store in New York, the commissioner faced a multitude of questions from the media mostly about the Saints controversy.
Goodell told the media that he had shared all reports pertaining to the Saints with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and wants to put the bounty scandal behind him.
"I think we all need to move forward,"
Adding further he said.
"I think it's important for all of us to be open about what we've been able to find. We've released it publicly. We've given the NFLPA two of our confidential reports, which we've shared with our clubs -- they've gotten the same report."
Representatives from the union and the league met on Monday and in a two-hour meeting discussed the evidence against players that the NFL had gathered throughout its three-year investigation into the bounty scandal.
Both parties met in New York after the union accepted the NFL’s invitation to meet and discuss the extent of player involvement in the entire scandal.
Goodell talked about the meetings during his talk with the media and said that he had assured the NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith that he will share all information available.
"For the last month, we've made it clear that we'd be happy to share the information. I've said from the first moment I told (Smith) about this information, that I'd be happy to share it with him, and make sure he understood what happened."
The commissioner is also expected to hear the appeals from the Saints management over the punishments handed down to them.
Goodell wants the appeals to take place within the week and a decision will be released in a matter of days to expedite the process.
The Saints have been slapped with a $ 500,000 fine and had their second round draft picks taken away for two years.
Head coach Sean Payton received a one year suspension from the game for his involvement in the scandal while general manager, Mickey Loomis and assistant coach, Joe Vitt face suspension of eight and six games respectively.
Tags: