Fujita charged Goodell with "abuse of power" and expressed his displeasure with the way his suspension was lessened. On Tuesday, Goodell sent Fujita a letter in which he chastised the 10-year veteran and member of the NFL Players Association's executive committee for not doing more to stop his former teammates from taking part in the "bounty" program.
Goodell wrote to Fujita that he was "surprised and disappointed by the fact that you, a former defensive captain and a passionate advocate for player safety, ignored such a program and permitted it to continue . . . If you had spoken up, perhaps other players would have refused to participate and the consequences with which we are now dealing could have been avoided."
Fujita was angered by the "condescending tone" in Goodell's letter - and most of its content.
"For him to come out and say he was disappointed in me for not standing up to my coach," Fujita said Wednesday. "I haven't had someone tell me they were disappointed in me since I was 12 years old, and that was my father."
Fujita was pleased Goodell all but exonerated him from any involvement in the Saints' mess, but was incensed the commissioner felt it necessary to chastise him for not stepping in and trying to stop the rogue program.
"I thought it was uncalled for and inappropriate," Fujita said.
Fujita will appeal his one-game suspension and intends to play Sunday when the Browns (0-5) host Cincinnati.
Fujita has maintained his innocence in the scandal since it first broke in March. Seven months later, Fujita hasn't changed his stance and felt a recent Sept. 28 meeting with Goodell was "respectful and productive," which is why he's puzzled the commissioner would come down so hard.
"For him to speak to me as if I'm cavalier about player health and safety, that's when I said enough is enough," Fujita said.
On Tuesday, Goodell upheld the suspensions of Jonathan Vilma and Will Smith and reduced penalties for Fujita and Anthony Hargrove. Vilma will sit out the entire season and Smith's punishment stands at four games. Hargrove, a free agent defensive lineman, will face a two-game suspension once he signs with a team. He originally was hit with eight games, but that was reduced to seven with five games already served.
The players were implicated in what the NFL said was a bounty pool run by former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and paid improper cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents. The players have acknowledged a pool but denied they intended to injure anyone.
Noteworthy *
Green Bay placed running back Cedric Benson on injured reserve because of a sprained left foot, but designated him to return. He must sit out eight games before he can play again, though he will be eligible to practice after 6 weeks.
* Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III practiced and showed no effects from a mild concussion. Barring any unexpected setbacks, he will start Sunday against Minnesota.
* The NFL confirmed it is reviewing the block by New York Jets guard Matt Slauson that ended the season for Houston star linebacker Brian Cushing because of a torn ACL in his left knee. Cushing was hurt in the second quarter of the Texans' 23-17 win Monday night on a low, rolling hit by Slauson. To replace Cushing, the Texans signed former Bucs and Titans linebacker Barrett Ruud and cut return specialist Trindon Holliday.
* Carolina Pro Bowl center Ryan Kalil is out for the season after suffering a Lisfranc injury to his left foot in the Panthers' 16-12 loss to Seattle.
* Jacksonville will be without safety Dwight Lowery for "a few weeks" because of an injured left foot, coach Mike Mularkey said.
* Indianapolis running back Donald Brown had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee and is expected to miss 2 to 3 weeks.
* Buffalo defensive end Mark Anderson will have knee surgery and will be out indefinitely.
