Nobody expected to see Jonathan Vilma roaming the Superdome grounds Sunday. Days ago, the New Orleans Saints' linebacker was the Invisible Man, set apart from his teammates, but his fortunes rapidly have changed.
Ed Werder of ESPN reported Sunday that while Vilma won't play, he's very much in the plans as the Saintskick off their season against the Washington Redskins.
The veteran linebacker will lead the crowd in a "Who Dat" chant following the coin toss, a proposition that seemed all but impossible before his season-long suspension was overturned Friday by a collective bargaining agreement appeals panel.
Vilma was placed on the Saints' roster exempt list and won't be back any time soon as he continues to heal from a serious knee injury. It's no less of a victory for the man who maintained his innocence in the team's "bounty" scandal from Day 1, and likely something NFL bigwigs struggle with on a variety of levels.
UPDATE: According to Don Banks of SI.com, Vilma set off a raucous reaction at the Superdome.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
