NEW ORLEANS. - On Thursday, the National Football League filed a grievance with the players union seeking Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans Saint's linebacker to withdraw his case against NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell for defamation of character.
The NFL claims that Vilma's lawsuit breaches Article 46 of a CBA clause agreed upon by the union which states that the NFLPA cannot sue the league or any of its clubs. Vilma filed suit against the league and Goodell for a "very public and unfortunately erroneous allegations," during the recent bounty scandal.
In addition to Vilma, the NFLPA also filed suit on behalf of three other the New Orleans Saints' players involved in the incident. The lawsuits rests on the argument that Goodell named players Will Smith, Anthony Hargrove and Scott Fujita as participants in the bounty scandal before he served as arbitrator at the hearings. And that Goodell violated the league's collective bargaining agreement.
In response to the grievance filed by the league, Vilma tweeted "The nfl sent me a letter 'demanding' I drop my defamation suit or else...lol or else wat?!?? They no likey me lawsuitey,"
NFL spokesman Gerg Aiello told the Associated Press, the lawsuit is an "improper attempt to litigate... there is no basis for asking a federal court to put its judgment in place of the procedures agreed upon with the NFLPA in collective bargaining. These procedures have been in place, and have served the game and players well, for many decades."
