Commish cool with Tuna return

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he won’t stand in the way if the New Orleans Saints ask Bill Parcells to take over as interim coach for suspended Sean Payton.

“That’s their decision. They need to make those decisions and we’ll move forward,” Goodell said Monday at the opening of an NFL pop-up store featuring new team apparel. “Bill’s a great coach, and I’m sure (he) will add a lot of personality and intrigue. And he’s as competitive as they get so I’m sure he’ll do a good job.”

Before the Saints pick someone to run the team this year, though, Goodell still has to rule on Payton’s appeal of his season-long suspension, along with the appeals of shorter suspensions to assistant coach Joe Vitt and general manager Mickey Loomis and penalties handed down to the team.

“Part of it depends exactly when the appeal is going to be, and second of all what information comes up in the appeal,” said Goodell, who has met with Payton twice before the appeal was filed.

Police: Lions RB Leshoure caught chewing marijuana

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Police say Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure was caught chewing marijuana during a recent traffic stop in southwestern Michigan.

The incident on March 12 occurred less than a month after police in a different Berrien County community say they caught Leshoure with marijuana. Prosecutor Art Cotter says Leshoure was due in court Monday for the more recent case but hadn’t appeared by 4 p.m.

A police report said Leshoure was a passenger in a car stopped on Interstate 94 in Lake Township. The officer reported seeing him chewing marijuana and noticed small pieces on his shirt. Leshoure and the driver were ticketed for marijuana possession.

The Lions said they were “aware of the reports” and were gathering more information.

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