Saints Bounty Ruling Is Another Win For NFL

According to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, the arbitrator assigned to the Saints bounty case, Shyam Das, has ruled for the NFL and dismissed the NFLPA’s grievance.

This particular grievance was looking into two key points. First, whether the new CBA waives the Commissioner’s right to impose discipline on anything that happened in the previous CBA and second whether the appeals should be heard by the Commissioner or Ted Cottrell and Art Shell, who were appointed jointly by the league and players.

This means that those Saints players appealing their punishment will do so in front of Goodell, who also handed out the punishment. From the player’s perspective, that can’t be a very appealing situation.

Arbitrator Stephen Burbank already ruled that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell held the authority to impose discipline on three of the four Saints players.