Breaking News: Bounty Suspensions Overturned For Saints Players
After all the reports and meetings and suspensions over the New Orleans Saints and the alleged bounty scandal, a three-man arbitration panel have overturned NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's ruling.
What does it mean for four players suspended, especially the two current Saints players?
They will be able to play this year!
Suspensions for four players connected to the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal have been overturned by a three-man arbitration panel, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The ruling should clear Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove to start the season.
"Victory is mine!!!! -stewie griffin," Vilma tweeted Friday afternoon.
The panel's decision affects the players only, not suspended coaches Gregg Williams, Sean Payton and Joe Vitt.
The NFL Players Association and the four players had claimed in consolidated lawsuits that Goodell abused his authority and followed improper procedures in disciplining the players for a program that, according to NFL investigators, paid improper cash bonuses for tackles that injured opponents. The lawsuits sought to have the punishment handed down by Goodell thrown out. The arbitration ruling renders the lawsuits moot at this point.
Finally, some great news for Saint fans as they start the regular season this Sunday in the Superdome when they take on the reigning Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins at Noon.