Tagliabue Vacates All Discipline Against Players In Saints Bounty Case

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - It's being seen as a sharp rebuke to Commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of the NFL's bounty investigation -- former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue today overturned the suspensions of four current and former New Orleans Saints players.

Tagliabue found that three of the players engaged in conduct detrimental to the league, and says they participated in a performance pool that rewarded hard tackles and other plays that could merit fines. But he stressed that the team's coaches were very much involved and, along with others in the Saints' organization, had "contaminated" the case.
Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma initially had been suspended the whole season, while Saints defensive end Will Smith, Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita and free agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove received shorter suspensions.