Bounty Gate Suspensions Overturned? For Now?

Two days after the kickoff game to the 2012 NFL season, the Bounty Gate story reemerges once more but this time in favor of the players.

An appeals panel hearing the suspended players case made a ruling in favor of the players. It ruled that Commissioner Roger Goodell overstepped his authority in hearing the appeals of the players related to Bounty Gate. They stated that Goodell doesn't have the authority for disciplining the players related to Bounty Gate and that task should be given to Special Master Stephen Burbank. They stated that Goodell does have the authority to punish the players if he can prove they intended to injure their opponents.

As for the suspensions Goodell has wrought, they were overturned by the panel. Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, and Scott Fujita (now on the Browns) can rejoin their teams and Anthony Hargrove (free agent) can sign and play with a team immediately.

This a big victory for the players. They might still get punished by Goodell later on in some way or fashion but this victory over the NFL in court just proves that players can go an alternate route in order to get leverage over the NFL. I'm sure Roger Goodell is having a tantrum to have his rule and law overturned in any way.

It makes you wonder if Coaches Sean Peyton and Joe Vitt along with GM Mickey Loomis should appeal their case seeing how this turned out. Anyway, the story isn't over as a new chapter is beginning.

The next question you have to ask is whether or not any of these players will play Sunday. They might not but their victories in court will lift the Saints morale.