Saints Bounty Suspensions Upheld, Roger Goodell Announces

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has finally ruled on the appeals in the New Orleans Saints bounty case. Goodell, as many expected, upheld the suspensions of the four current or former Saints players involved.

In his letter to players, Goodell wrote:

"Throughout this entire process, including your appeals, and despite repeated invitations and encouragement to do so, none of you has offered any evidence that would warrant reconsideration of your suspensions. Instead, you elected not to participate meaningfully in the appeal process..."

"Although you claimed to have been ‘wrongfully accused with insufficient evidence,' your lawyers elected not to ask a single question of the principal investigators, both of whom were present at the hearing (as your lawyers had requested); you elected not to testify or to make any substantive statement, written or oral, in support of your appeal; you elected not to call a single witness to support your appeal; and you elected not to introduce a single exhibit addressing the merits of your appeal. Instead, your lawyers raised a series of jurisdictional and procedural objections that generally ignore the CBA, in particular its provisions governing ‘conduct detrimental' determinations..."

Goodell made the initial ruling on the players and also heard the appeals so hardly anyone thought he would he reverse his decisions. The NFLPA has called for a complete re-do of the NFL's investigation but it doesn't sound like that will be happening.

So the following suspensions remain intact: Jonathan Vilma (full season), Anthony Hargrove (8 games), Will Smith (4 games) and Scott Fujita (3 games).

For more Saints coverage, check out Canal Street Chronicles. Follow the latest developments in the bounty case in this StoryStream.