New Orleans Saints assistant coach Joe Vitt respects NFL suspension - NFL News
The National Football League (NFL) came down hard on the New Orleans Saints management who were involved in turning a blind eye to the illegal programme while lying to league investigators about its existence.
The league released a complete 50,000 page report on the Saints scandal early in March that laid bare each and every detail of the programme in front of a shocked public.
Commissioner Roger Goodell vowed tough action and delivered it as he fined the franchise $ 500,000 while taking away its second round draft picks for two years.
The commissioner also suspended head coach, Sean Payton for a year for his involvement in abetting the bounty programme.
General manager, Mickey Loomis, and assistant coach, Joe Vitt, have also been suspended for eight and six games respectively.
All three though are going to appeal the decision with the appeal taking place within the week. Goodell has said that a decision on the appeals will be released in a matter of days.
Joe Vitt’s letter for an appeal was made public on Monday, and in it the assistant coach said that he respects the NFL’s decision to suspend him.
"By exercising this right to appeal, I do not want to convey to you that I do not respect your decision. I understand my obligations to the men I coach, the New Orleans Saints, to you and to the National Football League. I am proud of my association with
and my career in the NFL, but I am not proud of my involvement in these events or how I conducted myself in the early stages of the investigation. Nonetheless, I am hopeful that the appeal will give me the opportunity to bring certain matters to your attention.”
The Saints are alleged to have run a bounty program in the defensive roster involving 22 to 27 players under the aegis of the then defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
The programme ran for three seasons from 2009-11 which included the Saints 2009 Super Bowl victory.
The players received around $ 1,000 to $ 1,500 for injuring targeted opponents out of a total pool worth $ 50,000.
The NFL is yet to announce punishments for players involved in the scheme but a decision is expected soon.
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