NFL players' union disputes commissioner's statement

The NFL Players Assn.filed documents in federal court disputing Commissioner Roger Goodell's sworn statement that he was prepared to discipline players for their involvement in the New Orleans Saints' bounty pool back in March but waited until May as a courtesy to the union.

Attorneys for four players suspended in the bounty investigation have argued the punishment handed down by Goodell should be overturned, in part because the commissioner's public statements last spring showed he had improperly prejudged the players' actions.

The documents filed Friday include sworn declarations by sanctioned linebacker Scott Fujita and union chief DeMaurice Smith.

U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan had asked for the league and union to file evidence this week related to the NFL's contention that Goodell delayed ruling on the players only because he was asked to do so by the union while it conducted its own bounty probe.

In a declaration filed Thursday, Goodell stated he agreed in a phone conversation with Smith "to address discipline of the club and non-player employees and then to afford the NFLPA a reasonable opportunity to conduct its own investigation and express its views before I imposed discipline on the players."

Smith, however, stated in his Friday declaration that though a phone conversation with the commissioner took place, he and Goodell never reached the agreement the commissioner described.

Updates

Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has signed his franchise tender after skipping Kansas City's entire off-season program and the beginning of training camp. He will make about $9.5 million this season after the two sides failed to reach a long-term deal by the July 16 deadline. Bowe caught 81 passes for 1,159 yards and five touchdowns in 2011. Also, veteran offensive tackle Ray Willis told the Chiefs he is retiring.

Before they broke camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a surprise move in activating nose tackle Casey Hampton and running back Rashard Mendenhall from the physically unable to perform list. Each veteran has been rehabilitating a torn ACL sustained in January.

Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy says wide receiver Greg Jennings has made significant steps in his recovery from a concussion and might be able to return to practice Sunday.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/latimes/sports/football/nfl/~3/h3Ae6nQw6p0/la-sp-nfl-report-20120818,0,2450180.story

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