Court agrees Vick can keep bonuses; NFL; Ex-Atlanta quarterback earned the money before his conviction.

Byline: The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS -- A federal appeals court Tuesday backed the judge who ruled against the league and let quarterback Michael Vick keep more than $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed Judge David Doty's order saying Vick had already earned the bonuses before his dogfighting conviction, so the money wasn't subject to forfeiture.

Vick, 29, served 18 months in prison and is with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Doty has long handled matters arising from the league's collective-bargaining agreement. After Doty ruled in the Vick bonus case, the league accused him of bias and sought to end his oversight of its contract with the players union.

The appeals court said the contract should remain under Doty's oversight.

League spokesman Greg Aiello did not say whether the NFL planned a further appeal, but he said the 8th Circuit upheld Doty's ruling on Vick's bonuses in large part because it found the contract's forfeiture language ambiguous.

"That is something that we will seek to change at the bargaining table to ensure that bonus payments are paid to players who comply with their contracts and perform on the field," Aiello said.

Vick, a former Atlanta standout, was released from federal custody July 20 after serving 18 months of a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring in Surry County, Va.

The Eagles signed Vick to a $1.6 million contract for this season, with a team option for the second year at $5.2 million.

Notes

* Cleveland's Eric Barton was placed on injured reserve with an unspecified injury, leaving the Browns without their two starting inside linebackers for the final eight games this season. D'Qwell Jackson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury that required surgery last month.

ESPN.com had previously reported Barton, 32, has a bulging disk in his neck and was contemplating surgery. He was injured in the first half of a Nov. 1 loss in Chicago.

Jackson and Barton are the team's leading tacklers.

* A Nashville, Tenn., judge has authorized the widow of retired quarterback Steve McNair to sell the restaurant he opened shortly before he was shot and killed.

Probate Court Judge Randy Kennedy this week cleared the sale of Gridiron9 by Mechelle McNair, administrator of the ex-player's estate. According to court records, a potential buyer has emerged.

McNair, 36, who spent most of his career with the Tennessee Titans, was shot to death July 4 by his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, 20, who then killed herself.

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