Saints' Vilma appeals one-year ban

NEW ORLEANS — Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma appealed his season-long suspension under the NFL's bounty investigation, which named him as a ringleader of the cash-for-hits system.

In papers filed Monday, Vilma argued that commissioner Roger Goodell should not hear the appeal and asked for a delay in the process until the jurisdictional issue has been settled through NFL Players Association grievances filed last week.

Vilma's appeal also said the NFL has failed to presented evidence linking him to a system in which players were paid to injure opponents. It asks the league to provide documentation, including witness statements and the names of those witnesses.

Vilma was one of four players given suspensions of various lengths as a result of the NFL's bounty probe.

View the original article here