New Orleans Saints To Appeal Payton And Loomis Suspensions On Tuesday
Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis are hoping to save their coaching and team management seasons on Tuesday when they meet with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and various other NFL officials to discuss their 2012 season suspensions brought on by the teams bounty program.
Commissioner Goodell has promised that the appeal process would be met with a quick decision, possibly arriving within just a few days of the meeting. While the decision will be made quickly Goodell promises that the proceedings will mirror the player process.
In the meantime it’s hard to determine what will come of the appeal, Sean Payton has publicly said he wants the meeting so he can have another face-to-face with Roger Goodell, a meeting that if nothing else will allow Payton to clarity the terms of his suspension. For example current terms state that Payton can’t “coach from home” but he may be able to have contact with the team.
Payton’s suspension will last the entire 2012 season if upheld while Mickey Loomis will be forced to sit out the first eight games of the regular season.
The New Orleans Saints are also petitioning to have its $500,000 fine and loss of second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 overturned.
Also appealing the decision will be Saints linebackers coach Joe Vitt who has been served with a six-game suspension.
So far the only person associated with the Saints to not appeal the decision is former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who is now with the St. Louis Rams. Commissioner Goodell served Gregg Williams with an indefinite suspension.
In the meantime if Sean Payton can not coach during the regular season rumors have been flying that retired coach and Payton’s mentor Bill Parcells could take over the teams head coaching role for one season.
When all is said and done NFL officials have warned that up to 27 players could be sanctioned for taking part in the bounty program, although action against those players has not moved forward at this time.
