I surely didn’t see this coming. Typically, when Roger Goodell speaks, not much happens after that.

Four players were suspended for their alleged involvement in the Saints bounty program, along with head coach Sean Payton and other front office officials. While the players will be active this Sunday, since their suspensions were overturned, Payton will still have to sit out the year.

It doesn’t really make sense to me how the suspensions are lifted for just the players, but not the coaches and front office execs. That’s inconsistent. And, of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the players involved are “innocent”, either. It just simply means that they are no longer suspended.

This is the first chink in the armor for Roger Goodell. He has never had his authority undermined before.

But no word yet as to whether or not Goodell is now welcome in Vilma’s restaurant.

A three-member appeals panel has overturned the player suspensions in the Saints bounty case, according to a source familiar with the ruling.

The panel overturned a ruling by NFL system arbiter Stephen Burbank that commissioner Rodger Goodell was within his powers under the collective bargaining agreement to suspended four players for their alleged roles in a pay to injure system.

According to source, the suspensions are voided immediately, howevever the commissioner can reconsider discipline if — and only if — there is evidence of intent to injure beyond just a performance pool.