Union Meets With League on Bounties, but Is Unlikely to Suggest Discipline - New York Times

Representatives of the N.F.L. and the players union met Monday for the first time to discuss the New Orleans Saints’ bounty system and the 22 to 27 players the league said its investigation showed were involved.

The N.F.L. has said it wants the union’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith, to make a recommendation about what discipline he thinks is appropriate for the players.

A handful of players â€" including the Saints’ defensive captain, Jonathan Vilma, who the N.F.L. said put up $10,000 of his own money if a teammate knocked Brett Favre from the N.F.C. championship game in 2010 â€" are expected to be disciplined for their roles in the bounty system, but Smith indicated in a statement Monday that he was unlikely to make a recommendation.

During the meeting, he was hoping to see the evidence that the N.F.L. collected during its investigation of the bounties, which were paid from 2009 through the 2011 season. The union had previously been provided two confidential reports that were prepared for N.F.L. teams.

The union does not have a role in determining discipline, but it would be involved if a player chooses to appeal a punishment.

“Our duty is to view and understand the evidence and to ensure it is substantiated and concrete,” Smith told Pro Player Insiders, a Web site run by the union. “We also have an obligation to ensure that our players have fair due process. It is not our duty to give recommendations for discipline in a vacuum without information or without consultation with our players.”

At the opening of an N.F.L. pop-up store in Manhattan on Monday, Commissioner Roger Goodell made clear that he would like to wrap up all discipline soon, including possible penalties for the players involved and hearing the appeals of Saints Coach Sean Payton and other team officials. “We all need to move forward,” Goodell said.

JETS’ OWNER BACKS TEBOW TRADE The Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, remains steadfastly supportive of the team’s decision to acquire quarterback Tim Tebow as a high-profile backup to its incumbent starter, Mark Sanchez.

“He brings a versatility and a capability at the backup quarterback that we think is unique and will be very productive for us,” Johnson said Monday morning at the pop-up store on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan.

Johnson reiterated his belief that Sanchez â€" whom the team signed to a contract extension March 9 â€" would remain the starter. Johnson said he had not spoken with Sanchez but did not foresee any controversy.

“I think Mark will have no problem with this,” Johnson said. “He grew up in Southern California, so he’s quite comfortable in this environment. And being a quarterback in New York City, this will be something he’ll enjoy, I think.”

Johnson also disagreed with the notion that the presence of Tebow, whose detractors and supporters can be equally passionate, could become a distraction.

“I don’t think that’s going to be the case,” Johnson said. “Our goal is to win games and get to the Super Bowl. We strongly feel that this move and other moves that we’ve made already and will be making are going to put us on the track to do that.”

Johnson, wearing a green striped tie, spoke a few feet from a stand of Jets apparel. Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance, along with current players like the Giants’ Ahmad Bradshaw and former players like Terrell Owens, Amani Toomer and LaVar Arrington.

There were no No. 15 Tebow Jets jerseys hanging there Monday â€" an N.F.L. spokesman said jerseys would not be on sale there until the end of the month. But Tebow’s jersey is the third most searched item of merchandise on the N.F.L.’s Web site.

Johnson also said he had not noticed any tangible impact on merchandise or ticket sales in the wake of Tebow’s arrival.

“Not that I’m aware of that’s anything extraordinary,” Johnson said. “This is not the normal time â€" people don’t normally buy tickets in March, or April now. Tebow arrived in March. They start thinking after the draft and as we start getting closer to training camp.”

ZACH SCHONBRUN