Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will be replacing current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to hear the appeals of four players suspended in the New Orleans Saints‘ “BountyGate” scandal.
Goodell consulted with NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith in several conversations before deciding to appoint another hearing officer for this case. The union and the four players had asked Goodell to excuse himself, contending he couldn’t fairly rule on the case and that the whole mess was turning into a conflict of personalities instead of issues.
Goodell said Friday that he notified Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove, as well as the NFL Players Association, that Tagliabue would be the hearing officer to “decide the appeals and bring the matter to a prompt and fair conclusion.”
Their second set of appeals will be heard October 30 by Tagliabue.
Vilma was suspended for the 2012 season and Smith was banned four games for their roles in the bounty program. Fujita, now with the Browns, was barred three games, since reduced to one. Hargrove, a free agent, had his suspension reduced from eight games to seven.
Mr. Tagliabue is a genuine football authority whose tenure as commissioner of the National Football League from 1989 to 2006 was marked by his thorough and judicious approach to all matters. He has many years of experience in NFL collective bargaining matters and an impeccable reputation for integrity.
Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFLPA, Commissioner Goodell has the exclusive authority to hear appeals of discipline for conduct detrimental or appoint a designee to bring this matter to a prompt and fair conclusion. Roger Goodell has said “To be clear, I have not consulted with Paul Tagliabue at any point about the matter nor has he been any part of the process. Furthermore, under our process, the hearing officer has full authority and complete independence to decide the appeal and determine any procedural issues regarding the hearings. I will have no role in the upcoming hearings or in Mr. Tagliabue’s decisions.”
Mr. Tagliabue’s’ reputation for integrity and sound judgment, as well as his understanding of the NFL and the issues surrounding player safety rules and the integrity of the game, make him singularly qualified to hear and decide the appeals in an efficient and fair manner for all concerned.
Tagliabue is chairman of the Georgetown University Board of Directors.
