Sean Payton's Suspension Appeal: NFL's Decision Must Be Swift and Unforgiving

Roger Goodell must keep the hammer down on the New Orleans Saints and Sean Payton to ensure his and the league's zero tolerance toward bounties, among other violated rules.

According to Larry Holder of CBS Sports, Goodell's decision is expected early this week:

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The Saints probably won't have to wait too long this week to hear from the NFL about its decision on the team's appeals of the bounty penalties. According to reports and sources, decisions could come down as early as Monday or Tuesday.

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If Goodell's decision is in any way altered, it's reasonable to suspect that he'll be looked in a different light. Considering how hard Goodell has come down on players for illegal hits and other violations, the Saints are fortunate that Payton isn't also being put in Gregg Williams' shoes.

Still, Goodell and the NFL decision toward Payton's appeal must happen fast: otherwise skepticism will emerge sooner than later. Especially when we take the extreme level of this violation into consideration.

Granted, the league must obviously make a well-thought and thorough decision regarding Payton and the Saints, but taking longer than a few days will raise a few eyebrows. The league has to remain hard on its stance, because all parties involved have to be held responsible.

Now, some will undoubtedly be punished more than others, but there's a certain level of accountability that goes into everyone in the organization. Pro football can't afford to let anyone off easy or it wouldn't be surprising to see this type of thing happen again.

The violence of football, no matter how much safer they try to make the game, will always be a part of it. Big hits, blocks, tackles and collisions of any kind are what make the game exciting and the players only continue to get bigger, faster and stronger.

However, include all the former players who have sued the league, and can you imagine what the future holds if the Saints get off somewhat easy?

To some extent, part of the NFL's and football's future is at stake here.

The popularity of the game is at an all-time high, but that could quickly take a nose dive if accountability goes out the window. Order, if anything, is what has kept the most violent game around, and at the top ,for so long.

Reputations are on the line, and the NFL is walking a fine line between the violence of the game and how to retain that without losing control.

As hard as the hits are on the field, penalties for violations must be equally as hard.

John Rozum on Twitter.