NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Suspended Saints
linebacker Jonathan Vilma filed a defamation lawsuit Thursday against
NFL Commissioner
Roger Goodell, claiming the league's top executive made false
statements that tarnished Vilma's reputation and hindered his
ability to earn a living playing football.
The suit in U.S. District Court in New Orleans claims Goodell, "relied on, at best, hearsay, circumstantial evidence and lies"
in making comments about Vilma while discussing the NFL's bounty investigation of the New Orleans Saints.
Goodell has said Vilma was a leader of the
team's bounty program that put up thousands of dollars for hits which
took out
opposing teams' star players from 2009-11, including $10,000 each
on then-Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner and then-Minnesota
quarterback Brett Favre during the playoffs in 2010.
"Commissioner Goodell opted to make very
public and unfortunately erroneous allegations against Jonathan," said
Vilma's attorney,
Peter Ginsberg. "By making these false and public statements, he
has significantly harmed Jonathan's reputation and ability
to make a living.
"By suing Commissioner Goodell in court,
Jonathan opted to use a fair playing field where he has procedural
rights and protections
to remedy the harm Commissioner Goodell has done to him."
Vilma wrote on his Twitter account that, "As I've said before..I NEVER PAID, NOR INTENDED TO PAY ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY, TO ANY
PLAYER FOR INTENTIONALLY HURTING AN OPPONENT."
Goodell has suspended Vilma, an eight-year
veteran and defensive captain, for the entire 2012 season. Vilma and
three other
current of former Saints who received shorter suspensions —
defensive end Will Smith, defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove and
linebacker Scott Fujita — all have appealed their punishments.
Hargrove now plays for Green Bay while Fujita is with Cleveland.
"We have not yet reviewed the filing," NFL
spokesman Greg Aiello said. "However, our commitment to player safety
and the integrity
of the game is our main consideration. We recognize that not
everyone will agree with decisions that need to be made."
The NFL also hired former federal prosecutor Mary Jo White in late 2011 to review its evidence in the case, and White has
said the NFL's findings are corroborated by multiple independent witnesses as well as documentation.
Vilma's lawsuit, which is expected to be heard by Judge Ginger Berrigan, asks for unspecified monetary damages as well as
punitive damage and attorneys fees.
The lawsuit states that Goodell, "knew and intended that Vilma would suffer severe emotional distress" when the NFL published
its bounty report and handed down punishment for the 30-year-old linebacker.
"Vilma will soon have to leave behind the
world of professional football and will likely face difficulties in
obtaining other
employment and entering into new ventures as a result of Goodell's
false and defamatory statements," the lawsuit said. "Media
will forever mention his name in the context of the Bounty
investigation and fans will forever remember Vilma with ill repute
rather than remember his substantial accomplishments on and off
the field."
The players' association has said that the league has refused to turn over what the union would view as hard evidence that
Vilma or the other sanctioned players tried to intentionally injure targeted opponents, or sponsored such behavior.
"It is certainly the case that in court,
Jonathan will have a right to see whatever it is that Commissioner
Goodell has been
hiding from us and what Commissioner Goodell contends gave him a
basis to make these false allegations," Ginsberg said. "We
will have a fair and neutral judge to preside over the dispute
rather than contending with the executioner also being the
person making the final decision."
Vilma's lawsuit states that the linebacker "never 'pledged,' made or received payments of any kind encouraging or resulting
from an opposing player being injured."
The NFL found that former Saints defensive
coordinator Gregg Williams oversaw a bounty program in New Orleans from
2009 to
2011 which paid off-the-books cash bonuses of $1,500 for
"knockouts," or hits which forced a player out of games, and $1,000
for "cart-offs," which left players needing help off the field.
The Saints have been punished harshly as an
organization. Head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for all of 2012
for failing
to put a stop to the program and attempting to cover it up, while
general manager Mickey Loomis has been suspended eight games
and assistant head coach Joe Vitt six games. The club also was
fined $500,000 and docked two second-round draft picks.
Williams, now with St. Louis, has been suspended indefinitely.
Payton, Loomis and Williams all have issued written public apologies regarding the bounty scandal.