Penalties reversed for four players
Vilma, 3 others are reinstated by league
NEW ORLEANS — Jonathan Vilma, Scott Fujita and Will Smith are back in the NFL. For now.
The suspensions of those players, plus unsigned free agent Anthony Hargrove, for their roles in New Orleans’ pay-for-pain bounty scandal were lifted Friday by a three-member appeals panel.
The league reinstated them all a few minutes later.
The Saints’ Smith and Fujita, now with the Cleveland Browns, probably will play in Sunday’s season openers. Vilma can at least rejoin teammates and coaches in New Orleans — and get paid — even if the linebacker is not yet ready to play because of knee problems.
And Hargrove can start talking to NFL teams about giving him another shot after he was cut by the Green Bay Packers.
Still, there’s no telling how long the reprieve will last.
Coming just two days before the first full slate of NFL games this season, the ruling is a setback for commissioner Roger Goodell and the league. But while the decision allows the players to rejoin their teams, it does not permanently void their suspensions.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Goodell would “make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed” for violating the league’s bounty rule.
“Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend,” Aiello said.
Vilma, who had been suspended the whole season, tweeted: “Victory is mine!!!! -stewie griffin”
Added Fujita: “I’m overwhelmed with all the support. Thank you so much everyone. Can’t tell you how much it means to me.”
The ruling does not affect New Orleans coach Sean Payton, suspended for the season, interim coach Joe Vitt (six games) or general manager Mickey Loomis (eight games).
While the panel did not address the merits of the NFL’s bounty investigation, it found that Goodell overstepped his authority in hearing the players’ appeals of their punishments for participating in the Saints bounty program, which paid cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents.
The panel’s decision states that Special Master Stephen Burbank, not Goodell, should discipline players for receiving money from a pool that paid for big plays. Goodell’s role, the panel said, should be limited to whether he can prove the players intended to injure opponents, which would fall in the category of conduct detrimental to the game. Players and coaches implicated in the bounty pool have testified under oath in a related federal court case they never intended to injure opposing players.
“Whether the commissioner tries to readdress the situation or not is his call,” said Peter Ginsberg, Vilma’s attorney. “We are certainly hoping the appeals board has made it clear the commissioner tried to grab jurisdiction and impose penalties over an area he does not have oversight. … The factual record in the court makes it clear he has acted in a biased and inappropriate manner.”