Suspended linebacker Scott Fujita has come out strongly against NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, saying on Wednesday that he has abused his power in the handling of the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.
On Wednesday Goodell announced new penalties for the players involved in the scandal following a ruling by an appeals panel a few weeks ago that vacated the suspensions.
Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma had his season-long suspension upheld and defensive end Will Smith's suspension was kept at four games. Free agent defensive end Anthony Hargrove will serve a seven-game suspension rather than eight. Goodell reduced Fujita's suspension from three games to one.
The four players were suspended due to their alleged involvement in a bounty program and a pay scheme that rewarded players for injuring opponents.
Goodell sent a letter to the players and a memo to teams around the league.
"The quality, specificity and scope of the evidence supporting the findings of conduct detrimental (to the game) are far greater and more extensive than ordinarily available in such cases," Goodell said, according to ESPN.com. "The players confirmed many of the key facts disclosed in our investigation, most particularly that the program offered cash rewards for 'cart-offs,' that players were encouraged to 'crank up the John Deere tractor' and have their opponents carted off the field, and that rewards were offered and paid for plays that resulted in opposing players having to leave the field of play."
In response to the new moves, Fujita released a statement on Wednesday, saying that while he is glad that Goodell said the linebacker did not participate in the program, he had issues with a letter sent to him from the commissioner.
Goodell wrote a letter to Fujita, saying he was "surprised and disappointed by the fact that you, a former defensive captain and a passionate advocate for player safety, ignored such a program and permitted it to continue. ... If you had spoken up, perhaps other players would have refused to participate and the consequences with which we are now dealing could have been avoided."
"Your own comments confirm that players were encouraged to 'crank up the John Deere tractor and cart those guys off' the playing field." Goodell also said, "Even in the face of repeated appeals to 'crank up the John Deere tractor and cart the guy off,' you and others now claim that the objective was instead merely to 'knock the wind out' of your opponents, requiring them to leave the game for only a play or two."
Fujita responded by saying that he took issue with the "condescending tone used in his redetermination letter was neither accurate nor productive."
He continued: "Additionally, I am now purportedly being suspended for failing to confront my former defensive coordinator for his inappropriate use of language. This seems like an extremely desperate attempt to punish me. I also think it sets a dangerous precedent when players can be disciplined for not challenging the behavior of their superiors. This is an absolute abuse of the power that's been afforded to the Commissioner."
Throughout the entire ordeal, Fujita has said that he did not contribute any money or participate in the bounty program.
"For me, the issue of player health and safety is personal," Fujita said. "For the league and the Commissioner, it's about perception and liability. The Commissioner says he is disappointed in me. The truth is, I'm disappointed in him. His positions on player health and safety since a 2009 congressional hearing on concussions have been inconsistent at best."
"He failed to acknowledge a link between concussions and post-career brain disease, pushed for an 18-game regular season, committed to a full season of Thursday night games, has continually challenged players' rights to file workers compensation claims for on-the-job injuries, and he employed incompetent replacement officials for the start of the 2012 season. His actions or lack thereof are by the league's own definition, 'conduct detrimental. My track record on the issue of player health and safety speaks for itself. And clearly, as I just listed, the Commissioner's does too."
Fujita was drafted out of California in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He played one season for the Dallas Cowboys before being traded to the New Orleans Saints.
While with the Saints, Fujita was named a defensive captain and played a part in the teams Super Bowl XLVI win over the Indianapolis Colts. He signed as a free agent with Cleveland in 2010 and has only played in four games this season, collecting 14 tackles and one sack.
Fujita and the other players have 72 hours to appeal the suspensions, but the Browns linebacker has not decided yet if he will do so.
