Pirates Suspend Jonathan Vilma

AP – We might never see Jonathan Vilma in a Pirates jersey again.

Earlier today, Vilma was fined $500,000 by the team and suspended indefinitely in the wake of accusations that he paid teammates to injury opponents.

Vilma allegedly offered teammates $10,000 for anyone who knocked Brett Favre out of the 2010 Week 13 game against Fransburg, a game in which the Pirates won 201.88-151.37. Farve spent the rest of the game on the bench, after injuring his shoulder on his first pass of the game, which was intercepted. There was no flag on the play, but Favre said referees apologized to him during the game for missing the call. Favre finished the game on the bench with –2.00 points.

“I will not address other player conduct at this time until we finalize our investigation,” Pirate GM Jason Enright said Thursday. “I am deeply saddened by the fact that players embraced this program and that Jonathan, a proven veteran, was the leader in what appears to be a deliberate lack of concern for the well-being of their fellow players.”

Roman Harper, the starting strong safety for the Pirates, is also under heavy investigation, as is Sedrick Ellis, a DT for the Kensington Dragons, who spent the 2010 season with the Pirates.

It’s unclear yet as to the punishment, if any, the Pirate coaching staff and management will receive for its role. Marshfield, already without most of its early round picks, could be left without a draft entirely for the 2012 season, a punishment that could severely damper its hopes of repeating as Beaver Nation Champions.

The Pirates have yet to officially release Vilma, but due to a new collective bargaining agreement, they may get to exercise the option to do so free of charge.

© 2012, Jason Enright. All rights reserved.