The NFLPA made it very clear that they were not going to lie down and take it if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell brought the hammer down upon the players involved in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, but bring the hammer down he did. As expected, the players association is making a move as well.
Andrew Brandt from the National Football Post reported on twitter that the NFLPA has filed a grievance against the NFL questioning Goodell's ability to make such a suspension. The suspensions included a three game hit on Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita.
As further tweets by Brandt lay out, the NFLPA says that since the actions were all taken prior to the new CBA, they should not be subject to discipline and that even if they were, they should be handled by the CBA 'System Arbitrator', not Goodell himself.
NFLPA grievance appears to take 3 tacts: (1) conduct prior to new CBA - August 4, 2011 - not subject to discipline by NFL.
— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) May 4, 2012
(2) That only the CBA "System Arbitrator", not the Commissioner, should be able to punish the players for these actions.
— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) May 4, 2012
(3) That even if the first two are somehow not controlling, the appeals should be handled by Art Shell/Ted Cottrell, not Goodell.
— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) May 4, 2012
More on this is sure to come out as time goes along.
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