texan
Well-Known Member
NEW YORK (AP) — Encouraging defensive players to be aggressive, hit hard and not back down is standard
procedure in pro football. Paying them to injure the opposition is not.
New Orleans Saints players and at least one assistant coach, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, maintained a
bounty pool of up to $50,000 the last three seasons, the NFL said Friday. Payoffs came for
inflicting game-ending injuries.
Among the targets were Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, with "knockouts" worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000.
Payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs, and, according to an investigation by NFL security, pool amounts
reached their height in 2009 — the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.
"It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it," Williams said after the league
said between 22 and 27 defensive players were involved in the program he administered, with the knowledge
of coach Sean Payton.
NFL: Saints violated 'Bounty Rule' - Yahoo! News
procedure in pro football. Paying them to injure the opposition is not.
New Orleans Saints players and at least one assistant coach, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, maintained a
bounty pool of up to $50,000 the last three seasons, the NFL said Friday. Payoffs came for
inflicting game-ending injuries.
Among the targets were Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, with "knockouts" worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000.
Payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs, and, according to an investigation by NFL security, pool amounts
reached their height in 2009 — the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.
"It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it," Williams said after the league
said between 22 and 27 defensive players were involved in the program he administered, with the knowledge
of coach Sean Payton.
NFL: Saints violated 'Bounty Rule' - Yahoo! News