Report: 4 New Orleans Saints Players Suspended for Role in Bounty Program

The effects of the "bounty gate" scandal continue to rock the New Orleans Saints and players who were with the team at the time, as the NFL has levied suspensions on four players, including a season long ban for Jonathan Vilma according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora.

Jason La Canfora tweeted:

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NFL announces Vilma suspended for the season; Hargrove 8 games, Will Smith 4 games and Fujita 3 games

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) May 2, 2012"

 

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The three other players who will be suspended for their roles in the scandal; Scott Fujita, Will  Smith and Anthony Hargrove weren't penalized as harshly as Vilma, but each will still miss significant time.

Fujita who now plays for the Cleveland Browns will miss three games, Hargrove who is now with the Green Bay Packers will miss eight games and Smith who is still playing for the Saints will miss four games.

The scandal is the first of it's kind for the NFL and is giving America's favorite sport a bad rap just months after the NFL was publicly criticized for the labor dispute before the beginning of the 2011 season.

Early this year the NFL suspended Saints head coach, Sean Payton, for the entire 2012 season, suspended defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely and general manager Micky Loomis for eight games, in addition to fines and missed draft picks which got the "bounty gate" punishments rolling.