Halo

From ESPN (so take it like that) - "If Tagliabue delivers a ruling significantly different from Goodell's when he hears the appeals, many league sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that they believe Saints owner Tom Benson will petition Goodell to reconsider Saints coach Sean Payton's one-year suspension."

The NFL players' union might challenge former commissioner Paul Tagliabue replacing Roger Goodell as the appeals officer in the Saints' bounties case.

The players association has concerns about "ethical and legal issues"...

The NFL had no comment.

Tagliabue is scheduled to hear the appeals of Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove on Oct. 30. He was appointed Friday by Goodell, his successor as commissioner.

Tagliabue works for the law firm that is defending the league in U.S. District Court in Louisiana in the bounties case. The NFLPA believes that's a conflict of interest. The union also might contend that such "pay-for programs" existed when Tagliabue was commissioner, with his knowledge.

The NFL and the union discussed the possibility that Tagliabue would step in if Goodell recused himself from hearing the appeals, and the union also suggested "several outsiders" who could be used in place of Goodell, the person said.

From ESPN

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