On September 7, 2012, the Burbank appeals panel vacated the suspensions imposed on the four, and the NFL confirmed that the ruling reinstated them in time for their first games of the 2012 season two days later. During his tenure, there was one incident that tarnished, if only for a brief time, his otherwise pristine record. (Scott Boehm/Getty Images) He also said that there would be zero tolerance for payments for in-game performance in the future, saying that payments for good play eventually escalate to bounties for deliberately injuring players. One of those interviewed, Junior Seau, bluntly said that such practices crossed the line into threatening a person's livelihood. In an editorial, New Orleans' local paper The Times-Picayune called the revelations "an embarrassment for one of the most successful and beloved sports organizations of recent years," and that they were "particularly hard to take for (Saints') fans" in light of the Saints' rebound after Hurricane Katrina. While the NFL has punished general manager Mickey Loomis, head coach Sean Peyton and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the franchise itself, and could take action against some of the players involved, the culprits could also be liable for a number of different torts, including battery. Four past or present New Orleans Saints players were suspended Wednesday by the National Football League for their roles in the bountygate scandal involving bonuses for trying to hurt opponents. Devin White has never been shy about . This provision is normally used to sanction off-field conduct. Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Devin White said that Bucs players bet on which player will have the biggest game, which reminded Saints fans of BountyGate. [8] According to these players, such bounty programs were usually informal and often between players only, more with intent at locker-room braggadocio than systemic malice. Rumors are circulating that Payton's retirement may be short-lived and that he may return to the game after sitting out for one year. Between 22 and 27 Saints defensive players were involved. Payton initially denied knowing that this email existed, but subsequently admitted that in fact he had read it. The Vikings were particularly angered when Saints defensive end Bobby McCray and defensive tackle Remi Ayodele knocked Favre to the ground with a high-low hit. With an early 7-3 lead in their week 2 matchup against the St. Louis Rams, two Giants players both fell to the ground with injuries at nearly the exact same time. Given the circumstances, King said, Goodell had a lot of incentive to "issue a string of suspensions the likes of which the league has never seen. Please logout and login again. 1997-2000: Tennessee Oilers/Titans - Defensive Coordinator Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. PFF reports that former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy has zeroed in on the play that he believes caused the injury, and it involves a matchup against a defense led by Gregg Williams. Brighton: Midfielder Adam Lallana was replaced at half-time against Aston Villa on 21 November because of a groin injury. However, all appeals were denied. [13], In the 2010 offseason, an anonymous player told NFL officials that the Saints had targeted Favre and Warner as part of a bounty program administered by Williams; the NFL's security department found the allegations credible enough to open an investigation. section: | slug: gregg-williams-on-bountygate-it-was-nothing-that-hadnt-been-done-before | sport: football | route: article_single.us | According to the NFL's findings, Williams and players pooled their money, and awarded cash prizes to players who injured select members of the opposing team. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf.. Lombardi claimed that as a result, Williams operated essentially as "an independent contractor." The players said that Williams paid his crew thousands of dollars for aggressive play, with the biggest payoutsas much as $8,000coming for "kill shots" that knocked opposing players out of games. After the program was reported on, Payton and Loomis said they took full responsibility for the practice, which they said happened under our watch.. [49] Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young, who has a law degree from BYU, suggested that anyone who had been injured during a Saints game during the scheme's existence has grounds for a lawsuit. However, they did not do so. [7] League officials, convinced that this information was irrefutable evidence a program was indeed in place, alerted Benson of their findings just before the Saints' first-round playoff game against the Detroit Lions. However, depending on the Saints' cooperation and that of the individuals involved, Goodell could restore the Saints' second-round pick in 2013 (though the Saints would still lose a lower-round pick), as well as reduce the fine on the Saints and restore Payton, Vitt and Loomis' lost pay. Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, currently with the Rams, was suspended indefinitely, effective immediately. The collective bargaining agreement with the NFL Players Association also forbids this practice, as does the standard NFL player contract. [51], On March 6, Payton and Loomis issued a statement taking "full responsibility" for not stopping the alleged "bounty" program. The whole incident only briefly tarnished the reputations of the Saints organization and Payton, who tried to appeal his suspension. After a lengthy investigation, the NFL found that Sean Payton not only knew about this but tried to hide the information from the NFL. Players usually earned $1,000 for cart-offs and $1,500 for knockouts during the regular season, though they were encouraged to put their winnings back into the pot in order to raise the stakes as the season went on. "Everybody was sworn in under oath in front of a judge with the risk of perjury and jail time if we were lying, and categorically denied there was a bounty," Vilma said in a text message to ESPN's Ed Werder. In a profanity-laced speech, Williams instructed his players to deliberately try to injure several 49ers players. Jonathan Vilma placed a $10,000 bounty on Brett Favre in the 2009 NFC title game. [26] The NFL found no club money had been used to fund the bounty pool, and praised Benson for doing what he could to shut down the slush fund. He'd been at the helm for 16 years. Get breaking NFL Football News, our in-depth expert analysis, latest rumors and follow your favorite sports, leagues and teams with our live updates. The whole organization was fined $500,000, and they lost several draft picks. He also claimed that NFL Network yanked its planned replay of the 2009 NFC Championship Game due to concern that fans might look more closely for late hits that should have been called. It is commonly known as the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. "You have to be accountable and responsible in the NFL," Goodell said. In that same email, Ornstein offered $5,000 to anyone who knocked Rodgers out of the 2011 season opener. [6] Contents 1 Background 2 Findings revealed 3 Other allegations against Williams Discovery Company. An @NFL player is injured let's start off by asking Sean Payton, who quite literally had a bounty system to Injure opposing teams players #BountyGate ask me how I know this to be True . Williams was suspended indefinitely, and was banned from applying for reinstatement until the end of the 2012 season at the earliest. He also appeared to put a bounty on quarterback Alex Smith; according to Pamphilon, after Williams told his men to hit Smith in the chin, "then he rubs his thumb against his index and middle fingers the cash sign and says, I got the first one. The Saints appealed the suspensions of Payton, Loomis and Vitt, but the NFL upheld the suspensions. On March 2, 2012, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the NFL had indeed found evidence of a bounty program. According to Wikipedia, members of the New Orleans Saints "were accused of paying out bonuses or bounties for injuring opposing team players." "[33], All four players appealed their suspensions. 1:11 PM EDT, Wed May 2, 2012. Seifert argued that even before the findings were revealed, it was obvious that the Saints were determined to inflict a severe beating on Favre, even if it meant breaking the rules. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. [25] Goodell told Schefter, however, that he would hand down punishments to the players involved very soon once he gets feedback from the NFLPA. Also Checkout: Kurt Warner super bowl wins, Be the first one to comment on this story. He also believes that Williams put a bounty on Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning during Super Bowl XLIV, and targeted Manning on several occasions while with the Titans. It may take Jerry Jones stepping away from the general manager's position for this to take place, but who's to say he won't do that in order for his team to win a Super Bowl? He also said that he discussed the issue with several players from his era, and they unanimously agreed that players who put bounties on opponents were "cowards. Published Feb 9, 2022. [8], After the sanctions were announced, CBSSports.com's Gregg Doyel wrote that the severity of the punishments handed down to Williams, Payton and Loomis proved that Goodell was truly sincere in his desire to "take the thuggishness out of the NFL." Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much "This is something that is being handled by the NFL office . Four past or present New Orleans Saints players were suspended Wednesday by the National Football League for their roles in the "bountygate" scandal involving bonuses for trying to hurt. Vilma, a linebacker who is still with the Saints, got suspended for a year, and teammate Smith, a defensive end, got a four-game suspension. [90] His former teammate, NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin, said that he "almost threw up" when he heard Williams tell his men to go after Crabtree's ACL, saying that players are taught from youth football onward to "never take out a man's knees. Smith, a captain of the defensive unit, helped Williams with the program and pledged money for it, according to the statement. When the game clock hit 00:00 last night in Broncos' victory over the Jets, head coach Vic Fangio sprinted across the field yelling at players to head "right to the f***ing locker room . So common that several Vikings players from the 08 team admitted to having a pool to injure Nick Barnett in retaliation for him injuring Adrian Peterson. Williams said that he knew all along the slush fund broke the rules, and that "I should have stopped it" rather than get further involved. [39][40] Chidi Ahanotu, who played one year under Williams in Buffalo, indicated that such a program was not within his character at the time and that Williams was "the softest coach I've been around. NFLPA files suit in Bountygate case July 5, 2012 foxsports The NFL Players Association filed a lawsuit against the NFL on behalf of three players suspended in connection with the bounty. It is the obligation of everyone, including the players on the field, to ensure that rules designed to promote player safety, fair play, and the integrity of the game are adhered to and effectively and consistently enforced, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement announcing the suspensions. The NFL previously suspended Saints coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season while levying an indefinite suspension on former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who was accused of masterminding the bonus program. Saints GM Mickey Loomis had been ordered by owner Tom Benson to shut down the program, but failed to do so. [82] Hargrove, signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers in March 2012,[83] did not play during the 2012 season. "[28] Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman reported that the Saints tendency toward illegal hits was common knowledge among the Tampa Bay coaching staff. [59][60], The Saints were also fined $500,000the maximum fine permitted under the league constitution, and had to forfeit their second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 (their first-round pick in 2012 had already been traded to the New England Patriots, and therefore, could not be forfeited; after the penalty; the Saints' first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft is a third-rounder). I remember over at Excelsior Springs when Im 16 years old I had a big hit in a ballgame and all of a sudden I got a movie certificate and it wasnt because I helped the guy up, its because I knocked the guy down. These typically involve incentivizing fouling, knocking out, and injuring opposition players. Since the NFL unveiled its findings, Williams has been accused of running similar bounty programs during his coaching stints with the Titans, Redskins and Bills. I got the first one. "After a grand slam by Moses and injury, SEU . Did the New Orleans Saints injure more players? appreciated. Roger Goodell announces Wednesday that Saints coach Sean Payton will be suspended for the 2012 season due to his role in the team's Bountygate scandal. He played college football at the University of Miami, winning a National Championship in 2001.He went on to be drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft.Vilma won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints over the Indianapolis Colts. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. [12] Goodell said in a statement that he found it "particularly disturbing" that the Saints were deliberately trying to injure other players. In the "Bountygate" scandal, the NFL suspended several Saintsincluding head coach Sean Payton and defensive captain Jonathan Vilmafor involvement in a system, allegedly run by defensive. After seeing the NFLs decision letters, the NFLPA has still not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program, Smith said in a statement. This page was last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:07. . However, Woodson felt that several parts of Williams' speechparticularly his calls to go after Crabtree's ACL and target Williams specifically because he had concussions in the pastwent too far. McCray hit Favre below the knees, briefly knocking Favre out of the game with an ankle injury. Audio of Williams' meeting with Saints defense, Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 09:07, 2007 National Football League videotaping controversy, "NFL needs to start cleaning up 'BountyGate' by going after Sean Payton and Gregg Williams for role in Saints' bounty system", "Did Rex's former team put out bounties? I am truly sorry. After finishing 133 and reaching the Divisional round of the playoffs a year earlier, they finished 79 and missed the playoffs. Instead, he said what some of the evidence was, and the media went to town taking his word for it. [65] He reiterated this in an interview later that day with ESPN's Schefter, saying that the fact those involved "continued to mislead" the league about it was a significant factor in the sanctions. [52] Three days later, Drew Brees, the starting quarterback for the Saints, issued a statement denying any knowledge of or involvement in the program. Payton and Loomis also apologized to Benson and the Saints fans, and promised that such behavior would never happen again. Former Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran a bounty system that paid out cash bonuses for big hits during his time in Washington and most recently with the New Orleans Saints. A year later, former commissioner Paul Tagliabuewould vacate the suspensions of those Saints' players on appeal. NEW YORK -- New Orleans Saints players and at least one assistant coach maintained a bounty pool of up to $50,000 the last three seasons to reward game-ending injuries inflicted on opposing . Lombardi argued that such a situation is "never fully sustainable," as it can easily lead to the head coach losing control. On May 2, 2012, four current and former Saints players were suspended after being named as ringleaders in the scandal, with linebacker Jonathan Vilma being suspended for the entire 2012 seasonthe longest suspension for an on-field incident in modern NFL history. [58], On March 21, 2012, the NFL issued sanctions to Saints coaches and front-office personnel for their roles in the scandal. Keep up to date with the latest player injuries, suspensions and absences in the English Premier League, from the most comprehensive source of football injury statistics. [20][27], Several Chicago Bears players and fans believe that the Bears were targets of this program during the second game of the 2011 season, a 3013 loss to the Saints. Hargrove lied to league officials during the 2010 investigation, but later signed a letter to the NFL admitting that he was an active participant in the scheme. It determined that Williams had initiated the fund soon after he arrived in New Orleans in 2009, in hopes of making the defense more aggressive. All four players can appeal the suspensions and would be entitled to a hearing and representation by counsel, the statement said. "I don't think you can be too hard on people that put at risk our players' health and safety," Goodell told Eisen. Roger Goodell's strict penalties for player misbehavior, and foul play on the field, haven't made him the most popular guy among NFL players. Remember, Payton was suspended for 1 year after the NFL found Saints defensive players were getting cash payouts from 2009 to 2011 for targeting and injuring opponents during games. [5] However, former commissioner Paul Tagliabue overturned all sanctions against the players in December 2012 after finding that despite the players being "very much involved," the coaches and the Saints organization were primarily responsible for the scandal.[6]. Preparations for Saints games included warnings to offensive players to keep their knees protected, especially on plays near the sidelines. The player suspensions were vacated on technical grounds by an arbitration panel on Sept. 7, 2012, just two days before the Saints' season-opener. Ornstein contributed $10,000 to the pot in 2009, and an undisclosed amount in 2011. The Saints organization was penalized with a $500,000 fine and forced to forfeit their second-round draft selections in 2012 and 2013. Weeks ago, after the NFL first released its Bountygate findings, there was a rumor floating around the sport that Jeremy Shockey, former tight end for the Saints, was the source for the NFL. We can joke about the recruiting-Ohtani part of Suzuki not being on Team Japan anymore, but in all seriousness, I just thought it was gonna be cool to watch Seiya playing on such a loaded team. However, Warner later said that the hit which knocked him out was legal, and had nothing to do with his decision to retire. Sean Payton's reputation didn't suffer too much after Bountygate. Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season. Everybody got out there and pushed their information one way or the other and I didnt. However, the players and team officials interviewed all denied that any bounty program existed, and the player who made the initial report subsequently recanted his allegations.[7][14]. I never said a word. 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