Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl
A speech recorded by a documentary filmmaker allegedly captures former New Orleans Saintsdefensive coordinator Gregg Williams imploring his players to injure specific San Francisco 49ers the night before January’s NFC Wild Card Game.
In the speech, captured by filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, Williams delivers a fiery, profanity-laced speech urging Saints players to inflict harm on several 49ers, including quarterback Alex Smith, running back Frank Gore, and receivers Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams.
“At one point Williams says, ‘We hit (expletive) Smith right there’ — then he points under his chin (and continues) — ‘remember me,’Â “Â Pamphilon told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports. “Then he rubs his thumb against his index and middle fingers — the cash sign — and says, ‘I got the first one. I got the first one. Go get it. Go lay that (expletive) out.’Â ”
It’s unknown if the NFL got a hold of this audio during its investigation of the Saints’ “bounty” program. League spokesman Greg Aiello would not comment on the matter when reached by NFL.com.
Pamphilon captured the footage while working on a film about former Saints special teams player Steve Gleason, who suffers from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Pamphilon said he believes “there’s no doubt at all” that Williams placed a bounty on Smith. Pamphilon emphasized to Yahoo! Sports that Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis were not in the room during Williams’ speech.
Williams was suspended indefinitely by Commissioner Roger Goodell for his role in the “bounty” program.
Goodell will listen Thursday to appeals from the Saints ($500,000 fine, two lost draft picks), Payton (suspension for the 2012 season), Loomis (eight-game suspension), and assistant coach Joe Vitt (six-game suspension).
Williams, who was hired by the St. Louis Rams this offseason, did not appeal his indefinite suspension.
