The NFL announced the suspensions of Four New Orleans Saints Players
New Orleans Saints, has been suspended for the first six games of the 2023 NFL season for using performance-enhancing drugs in violation of the league policy.
On Wednesday, the league made the ban public. What Haener was suspended for was not specified.
A statement on Instagram read, “I recently learned that I tested positive for a substance banned by the NFL earlier this summer,” according to Haener. Since the prohibited element is absent from all of my vitamins and prescription drugs, I’m still unsure of how the material entered my body.
“I must accept complete responsibility for the failed test, even though I would never intentionally cheat at the game I love. I apologise to my friends, family, and the Saints organization for any The National Football League on Wednesday punished four players, both current and former, from the New Orleans Saints for their involvement in the “bountygate” controversy, which involved compensation for attempting to harm opponents.
The league declared that Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Anthony Hargrove, and Scott Fujita would all be out of commission for variable periods of time.
Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was charged with orchestrating the incentive program, received an indefinite suspension from the NFL, while Sean Payton, the team’s coach, was suspended for the 2012 season.
A year-long sentence was handed to linebacker Vilma, who is still with the Saints, while a four-game punishment was handed to defensive end Smith, a teammate. The Cleveland Browns’ linebacker Fujita received a three-game suspension, and defensive lineman Hargrove Vilma offered a specific bounty—$10,000 in cash—to any player who eliminated Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner from the 2009 Divisional Playoff Game. She also promised to give the same amount to anyone who eliminated Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre from the 2009 NFC Championship Game the following week, according to multiple independent sources that also corroborated this information.
As a Saint, Hargrove “actively participated in the program” and impeded the league’s investigation by “being untruthful,” according to the statement. Fujita contributed “a significant amount of money” to the initiative.
According to the statement, Smith, a defensive unit captain, offered financial support and offered assistance to Williams with the program.
The four players each have the right to an appeal of the suspensions, as well as a hearing and legal counsel.
“After seeing the NFL’s decision letters, the NFLPA has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players’ involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program,” Smith said in a statement. “We have made it clear that punishment without evidence is not fair. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf.”
In addition to the suspensions of Williams and Payton, the Saints were fined $500,000 and required to forfeit their second-round selections in the 2012 and 2013 NFL drafts.
The NFL also previously announced the suspensions of Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games of the 2012 season and Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt for the first six regular-season games
The program involved as many as 27 players and at least one assistant coach, the league concluded after an investigation. Players regularly contributed cash to a pool, which may have topped $50,000 at its peak.
The players were paid $1,500 for a “knockout,” when an opposing player was not able to return to the game, and $1,000 for a “cart-off,” when an opposing player had to be carried off the field. In some cases, particular players on the opposing team were targeted, the NFL said.
After the program was reported on, Payton and Loomis said they took “full responsibility” for the practice, which they said “happened under our watch.”
