NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The latest round of appeal hearings in the NFL's bounty investigation concluded Monday evening following witness appearances by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt and linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

Now Vilma, Saints defensive end Will Smith and two other players await a ruling by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue on whether player suspensions should be reduced. If they don't like how that turns out, they could still get relief from a federal judge in New Orleans who has been presiding over lawsuits challenging the way the league has handled the probe and resulting discipline.

Vilma sounded hopeful that Tagliabue, who has been appointed to oversee the players' latest appeals to the NFL, would bring the process to a fair resolution.

"I think it did go well," Vilma, wearing a gray suit, said as he left a downtown high-rise where Monday's hearing was held. Vilma added that Tagliabue "seems a little bit more receptive" to his version of events than Commissioner Roger Goodell did. The linebacker declined further comment, citing Tagliabue's directive that the parties involved keep details of the hearings confidential.

There were also several days of witness appearances in Washington, D.C., last week.

The hearings were scheduled to conclude in New Orleans by Tuesday, but ended Monday evening after about 10 hours of testimony from the three witnesses.

Tagliabue had informed attorneys representing all parties that he hoped to rule on the four players' appeals shortly after the hearings conclusion.

A person familiar with the situation said Tagliabue expects to rule by early next week, meaning Vilma and Smith expect to play Sunday against the New York Giants. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of Tagliabue's directive.

Smith, suspended four games, and Vilma, suspended for the entire current season, are permitted to play while their appeals are pending.

Like Vilma, Childress and Vitt honored the Tagliabue's request for confidentiality after their appearances.

As Childress left the downtown law office on Monday he said he had "nothing to add."

Vitt also didn't have much to say, though he spent about five hours at the hearing.

The Saints coach had said previously, including under oath in federal court last summer, that his players never took the field intending to injure an opponent. As he left, Vitt said that testimony "was reiterated."

While Vitt said he could not discuss details of the hearing, he said it was good to see the former commissioner, who he'd met before. Vitt said that they had friendly exchanges, even sharing some old stories.

Vitt then headed back to the Saints' suburban headquarters to catch up on how practice went.

Two former New Orleans players also were banned: Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, now on injured reserve, had his initial three-game suspension reduced to one game. Free-agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove has not played in the NFL this season but faces a two-game suspension if he signs with a team.

The NFL has described Vilma and Smith as ringleaders — and former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as being in charge — of a performance pool designed to knock targeted opponents out of games from 2009 to 2011.

The league has sworn statements from Williams and former Saints assistant coach Mike Cerullo — who both testified last week — saying Vilma offered $10,000 to anyone who knocked quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2010 NFC championship game.

Childress had informed the NFL after that game he'd heard from former player Jimmy Kennedy that the Saints had a bounty on Favre. Childress is currently the Cleveland Browns' offensive coordinator.

The NFL also has identified Kennedy as one of its witnesses, but Kennedy has said the league is lying about his statements. He added that the league irreparably damaged his reputation by its "shoddy, careless, shameful so-called investigation." Continued...