Vikings, Saints got some off-field help from an unexpected source, the court
By Dave Campbell, APThursday, January 21, 2010
Vikings, Saints got off-field help from courts
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints had some off-the-field help from the courts to make it to the NFC championship game.
Two starting defensive linemen on each team had four-game suspensions put on hold this season, with a court fight over their punishment for use of a banned diuretic still pending.
Vikings defensive tackles Kevin Williams and Pat Williams are contending that state labor law can take precedence over the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Their case is scheduled for a trial in March.
When a judge decided last year to delay those proceedings until after the season, the league allowed Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith to play as well out of fairness.
The Vikings play the Saints on Sunday for a spot in the Super Bowl.
