Dean Michaels

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that the league is in the final stages of determining what disciplinary action the league will take against players in the Saints' pay-for-hits bounty program.

Speaking to reporters at an NFL draft event, Goodell said he doesn't expect any punishment to be handed down until next week.

"We hope to do that very soon and get that behind us," Goodell said.

Goodell said the league is still conducting and it appears he wants to delay an announcement on the penalties until after the NFL draft, which starts Thursday.

Up to 27 Saints took part of the bounty program. The league's investigation already has determined that Saints players were paid cash bonuses for knocking opposing players out of games with hits from 2009-11.

Goodell said earlier this week that he doesn't believe players were merely carrying out coaches' orders.

"The evidence is quite clear that the players embraced this," Goodell told NFL Network's Rich Eisen. "They enthusiastically embraced it. They put the vast majority of the money into the program and they actually are the ones playing the game. They are on the field so I don't think they are absolved from any responsibility because of that."

Saints head coach Sean Payton has already been suspended for the entire 2012 season but may be back on the sidelines this fall.

Payton said Wednesday during an appearance at a golf function at TPC Louisiana that he will spend more time with his family during his season-long suspension and could end up coaching his 12-year-old son Connor's football team

NFL Getting Close to Wrapping Up Saints Bounty Probe - NFL Football 2012