New Orleans Saints and NFL: Top News and Video Clips

"Sean Payton’s one-year suspension is set to begin Sunday (he has until Monday to appeal). In the hours remaining, the Saints head coach and his staff are working against the clock to formulate contingency plans, with a focus on next month’s draft. General manager Mickey Loomis will begin his eight-week suspension with Week 1 of next season, but Payton is running out of time. The Saints have yet appeal to appeal their head coach’s suspension for his role in team’s bounty program, but even if an appeal goes forward, commissioner Roger Goodell suggested deliberations would take days, not months."

"The last coaching stop for Bill Parcells was in Dallas and, despite not winning any playoff games, he’s given credit for turning the Cowboys franchise around after three consecutive 5-11 seasons.Now Parcells is thinking about returning to coach the New Orleans Saints while Sean Payton serves a one-year suspension for his role in BountyGate. Jerry Jones thinks Parcells’ return would be good for everyone."

"By all accounts, one of the Chicago Bears‘ most pressing needs this offseason was more talent along the offensive line. And by all accounts, the Bears have done little to instill hope amongst their fans that they’ve addressed the issue thus far in free agency. The Chicago Sun Times reported the Bears did not express interest in the top free-agent linemen like Jared Gaither, Eric Winston or Levi Brown, and during this week’s NFL Annual Meeting, the front office backed the players they already have at the position."

"Since he took over as NFL commissioner in 2006, Roger Goodell has been so consistent that he’s become predictable. Cross the line on anything that involves player safety or his precious “integrity of the game’’ and you’re going to pay a steep price. Mess with anything that jeopardizes “the NFL shield’’ Goodell loves to talk about and you’re going to feel his wrath. Oh, and be sure never to lie to the commissioner because that’s only going to make matters worse. Any or all of the above have brought suspensions or hefty fines in Goodell’s era. Think Michael Vick, Donte’ Stallworth and Plaxico Burress, to name a few."

"Former Washington State quarterback Mark Rypien is leading a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, claiming the league was aware of the risks of repeated head injuries but ignored the problem. Rypien, who played in the NFL from 1988 to 1997 (and four games with the Colts in 2001), says he suffered “repeated traumatic injuries to his head” and now has “various neurological conditions and symptoms related to multiple head traumas,” according to The Washington Post."