Fujita’s suspension overturned which is great news for the Cleveland Browns.
This of course is good news for the Browns who lost their other veteran outside linebacker Chris Gocong to a season ending injury earlier in training camp. Jonathan Vilma, free agent Anthony Hargrove, and Will Smith who were all facing multi-game suspensions longer than Fujita also will be available to play for their perspective teams.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can still overturn the panel’s decision if he can provide incontrovertible proof that any of those four players willfully demonstrated harm to other players or contributed financially to a players injury, but it is unlikely the ruling will be re-overturned. In fact, according to Larry Holder of the Times-Picayune, Aiello said Goodell will not re-rule on the player suspensions before Sunday's games.
This story had dominated the offseason headlines of the NFL and has potentially damaged the reputation of the league itself which is why all punishments handed down by the commissioner were so dramatic and stiff. And it is the driving reason that the league has made it clear that under no certain terms will any sort of bounty program will be tolerated.
But with what was only speculative involvement of the four suspended players the collective bargaining panel saw no concrete evidence that showed these players willfully hurt or participated in the program. Knowledge of the program may be likely, but proof of willful harm to another player or payment for willful harm to another player was a different story.
This is a big plus for the Browns who regain a veteran linebacker and team leader on the field in what expects to be a tough game against the Eagles this Sunday as the Browns kick of their 2012 season at home.
Philadelphia comes into this season looking to right a franchise that on paper was geared to compete for a Super Bowl run while the Browns are looking to make a leap forward from a 4 win season in 2011. Having Scott Fujita back on the field is definitely a positive sign for the Browns but Sunday will be an uphill battle. Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer was the first to report that the Browns were granted a roster exemption for Fujita before the official decision was released, and of course in today’s social media world we live in many of the now unsuspended players took to twitter including Fujita.
"I'm overwhelmed with all the support. Thank you so much everyone. Can't tell you how much it means to me."
So will having Fujita back in the lineup against the Eagles make a difference?
What do you think?
Michael W. Youngman--Lead Analyst AFC North Michael is the Lead Analyst for the AFC North Report and the Cleveland Browns Report. He has written many articles that have been featured by playerpress.com, cantonrep.com, FoxSports.com, and of course this site. Michael has also written a book titled “The Dayton Project” published in 2008 by PublishAmerica. He makes his home in the Hall of Fame City of Canton Ohio with his wife Lisa and his two children Joseph and Jennifer. To learn more, visit his Website
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