NFL: Saints Bounty Thread

[JDaveG]

Another arbitration ruling:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/802717...nts-was-ok

Arbitrator sides with Saints
Updated: June 8, 2012, 4:25 PM ET

Arbitrator Shyam Das has ruled in the NFL's favor and dismissed the NFL Players Association's grievance in the bounty case against four New Orleans Saints players, league spokesman Greg Aiello tweeted Friday.

An NFL investigation found that the New Orleans Saints operated a bounty system rewarding between 22 and 27 players for hard hits and injuring opposing players. ESPN.com Topics brings you full coverage of this developing story. Profile »

The union had filed a grievance with Das, contending the new collective bargaining agreement prohibits commissioner Roger Goodell from punishing players for any conduct before it was signed last August. The league's investigation showed the bounty program ran from 2009-11.

Goodell suspended Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma for the entire 2012 season and teammate Will Smith for four games. Former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove, now with Green Bay, was suspended for eight games, while linebacker Scott Fujita, now with Cleveland, was docked three games.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.