Tagliabue vacates player discipline in bounty case

Updated 3:13 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 11

Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue vacated all player discipline involving the Saints’ bounty case.

Tagliabue affirmed commissioner Roger Goodell’s finding that Anthony Hargrove, Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma “engaged in conduct detrimental.” He also found “more than enough evidence” to support the findings that Vilma offered a bounty on Brett Favre.

On witnesses former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and assistant Mike Cerullo, Tagliabue said, “neither was shown to be not credible on the specific issue of whether Vilma offered a bounty on Favre.”

Vilma will continue to pursue his defamation lawsuit against Goodell and the league, his lawyer Peter Ginsberg told NFL Network’s Albert Breer.

Tagliabue, however, explained how those in the Saints’ organization kept him from affirming discipline for the players.

“Unlike the Saints’ broad organizational misconduct, player appeals involve sharply focused issues of alleged individual player misconduct in several different aspects. .. My affirmation of Commissioner Goodell’s findings could certainly justify the issuance of fines. However, this entire case has been contaminated by the coaches and others in the Saints’ organization.”

The former commissioner also cleared Browns LB Scott Fujita of any wrongdoing.