Halo

It appears the suspended players in the New Orleans Saints bounty hearings will stand their ground and wait for a decision from former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue early this week as the players rejected a settlement deal from the NFL on Friday, a source said Sunday morning.

The source added possible suspension reductions for Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (season-long suspension) and defensive end Will Smith (four games), along with former Saints defenders Scott Fujita (one) and Anthony Hargrove (seven, with five already served) were contingent on the players agreeing to a statement full of untruths designed to protect current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and his standing in the NFL.
There's been a sense since the witness portion of the New Orleans Saints bounty hearings ended last Monday that Tagliabue will make his ruling on possible punishments early this week.

"We will continue to respect Mr. Tagliabue's direction to refrain from commenting on the proceedings," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday morning.

Vilma said last Monday's proceedings went well, but he added that he said the same thing the last time he met with the league regarding his alleged ties to the bounty scandal.

"I think Paul (Tagliabue) seemed a little bit more receptive," Vilma said after testifying in New Orleans earlier this week.

FROM NOLA.COM

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