The Sports Xchange
Goodell hears appeals of Payton, Loomis and Vitt
Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis and Joe Vitt all visited NFL headquarters Thursday to appeal their suspensions.
Payton, the New Orleans Saints’ coach, arrived several hours after Loomis, the team’s general manager, and Vitt, the assistant head coach, were heard by commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell suspended Payton for the season, Loomis for eight games and Vitt for six as punishment for the bounty system run by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who has been suspended indefinitely and did not appeal the decision.
“I have no feel for that,” Vitt said, according to ESPN.com, when asked whether he thought his suspension would be reduced. “The commissioner’s got a tough job. I’ve worked hard to earn the respect of my players and now I want to earn his respect.”
The appeals were heard the same day audio was made public of Williams exhorting his players to injure San Francisco 49ers before a playoff game last season.
Payton was expected to tell Goodell that he ordered Williams to make sure “no inappropriate conduct would occur,” sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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