And so it begins… After the huge scandal broke out about the Saints bounty system it was only a matter of time before the NFL began probes into other teams. Â It’s beginning with teams who were ever under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams but I wouldn’t be surprised if all out investigations began to occur. Â Personally I’ve known all about bounty systems as I’m sure many other’s have so its no real surprise. Â Unfortuantely the NFL has to take action or they’ll be highly criticized for letting it occur. Â Hopefully the game doesn’t become too sissified because Goodell has been handing out fines for just about everything. Â Sidenote players, stop snitchin! Â Read more after the jump.
The NFL will investigate claims that the Washington Redskins had a bounty program when Gregg Williams was the team’s defensive coordinator, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
The NFL on Friday said an investigation by its security department found that Williams and several New Orleans Saints players employed an illegal bounty system, financially rewarding defensive players for big plays, including knocking opponents out of games during the 2009-11 seasons. After details of the NFL’s probe were released, five former Redskins, including defensive end Phillip Daniels, and a former coach told The Washington Post that Williams had a similar system with Washington.
The newspaper reported that it was unclear if the Redskins would be held accountable if the NFL determines the team operated a bounty program under Williams, when he was the team’s defensive coordinator from 2004 to ’07.
Matt Bowen, who also played for Williams in Washington, wrote about the bounty system in a column for The Chicago Tribune on Friday, saying that he didn’t regret taking part in the program.
“You do what he (Williams) wants: play tough, push the envelope and carry a swagger that every opponent sees on tape. When you lined up against us, you knew we were coming after you. It was our gig, our plan, our way to motivate, to extra-motivate,” Bowen wrote for The Tribune.
Daniels defended his Williams when he talked about the program with The Post.
“I think it is wrong the way they’re trying to paint (Williams),” Daniels told the Post. “He never told us to go out there and break a guy’s neck or break a guy’s leg. It was all in the context of good, hard football.”
Daniels told the Post it was his understanding that Williams started the “bounty” program with money collected from fines for players being late for practices and meetings.
Daniels told the Post the most money he ever received was $1,500 for a four-sack game against the Cowboys in 2005.
Joe Gibbs told the newspaper that he was unaware the team had a bounty system when he was the head coach.
Meanwhile, former Buffalo Bills safety Coy Wire told The Buffalo News that Williams promoted bonuses for injuring opponents while he was the head coach in Buffalo.
“There was financial compensation,” Wire told the newspaper, which also cited three other anonymous defensive players who confirmed the existence of a bounty program during Williams’ time with the Bills.
The NFL said between 22 and 27 Saints defensive players were involved in the team’s bounty program and that it was administered by Williams, with the knowledge of coach Sean Payton. In some cases, the amounts pledged were both significant and directed against a specific opposing player, including former quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, according to the league’s investigation.
The findings, corroborated by multiple independent sources, have been presented to commissioner Roger Goodell, who will determine the appropriate discipline.
Goodell has advised the Saints that he will hold proceedings to determine potential discipline against the team and the individuals involved, and confer with the players’ union regarding the appropriate punishment. That discipline could include fines, suspensions and the forfeiture of draft choices.
In the Saints’ program, “knockouts” were worth $1,500 and “cart-offs” $1,000, with payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs. The NFL said the pool amounts reached their height of $50,000 or more in 2009, the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.
