Payton received a 1-year suspension from the NFL in 2012 for Bountygate -- when Saints players were getting cash payouts from 2009 to 2011 for targeting and injuring opponents during games. Rather, he wrote, they were acting as "part of a larger mentality" instilled by Williams. A Colorado court ruled against Hackbart, saying violence was part of the game. Tuesday, 29 January 2013 By Griffin Finan. By CM Lucas. Players also received "bounties" for "cart-offs" (plays in which an opponent was removed from the field on a stretcher or cart) and "knockouts" (plays that resulted in a player being unable to return for the rest of the game). "This is something that is being handled by the NFL office . Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Vilma offered a specific bounty $10,000 in cash to any player who knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of the 2009 Divisional Playoff Game and later pledged the same amount to anyone who knocked Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game the following week, the statement said. Vitt, who had been tabbed as a possible candidate to serve as interim coach in Payton's absence, was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. 3,000 @ggerould - 10:35 PM. It revealed that the Saints had not only targeted Warner and Favre during the 2009 playoffs, but had also targeted Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton during the 2011 regular season. Two of those players were reportedly Kurt Warner and Brett Favre. [72], Earlier, Goodell had indicated that he was going to come down hard on the players involved, telling Eisen that they "enthusiastically embraced" the scheme. Jack Willis has again left England's training camp early and is set to answer a back-row crisis for Toulouse, giving Steve Borthwick a sizeable selection headache before his side host France on . Then the coach reminded the players to target specific injuries on 49ers: "We need to find out in the first two series of the game," Williams said, "that little wide receiver, number 10, about his . In 2012, ESPN reported that former New Orleans Saints defensive assistant Mike Cerullo contacted the NFL regarding a bounty program after the 2009 postseason. I ask that you and ESPN report the facts. We have spoken with our players and their representatives and we will vigorously protect and pursue all options on their behalf.. Photo Credit: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images Who is Sean Payton? One of the things was it was on my watch, but there was nothing that hasnt been done in the last 50 years in the sport and there was nothing done to try to hurt somebody, Williams continued. 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. No, the Saints didn't want him to play for them. [44] The Steelers released a statement on their official web site mentioning that the team does not condone any sort of bounty program. Throughout the majority of the 2000s, Kevin James had viewers in stitches portraying the lovable, energetic loud mouth Doug Heffernan in the hit sitcom King of Queens. All four players can appeal the suspensions and would be entitled to a hearing and representation by counsel, the statement said. An estimated 22-27 total New Orleans Saints players participated in the bounty program, though. Yes, Bountygate is a real scandal that emerged in 2012. No more bias or b.s. However, linebacker Eddie Robinson, who played for Williams in Houston and Tennessee as well as in Buffalo, acknowledged an incentive pool but said he never heard Williams favor deliberately injuring other players. [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. [5] The union lodged a formal grievance on May 4, contending that since the suspensions were for on-field misconduct, the players' appeals should be heard by Ted Cottrell and Art Shell, whom the collective bargaining agreement designates as the hearing officers for on-field sanctions. or hearsay. Players that faced suspensions included linebacker Jonathan Vilma, defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove, defensive end Will Smith and linebacker Scott Fujita. Vontaze Burfict effectively single-handedly ended the season of 2 of the best 3 players on the steelers (bell and brown) and seriously injured the 3rd (big ben). "[33], Shortly after the Saints' bounty system came to light, four former Washington Redskins players, as well as a coach, told The Washington Post that Williams operated a similar system while he was the Redskins' defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2007. However, Warner later said that the hit which knocked him out was legal, and had nothing to do with his decision to retire. "[91] Fox Sports' Mark Kriegel argued that the tape proved Williams was "woefully underpunished," especially since he made the speech after being alerted that the NFL had reopened its investigation. via The Things. [18] Freeman wrote that his sources in the league office had told him that the players, Williams, Payton and Loomis would all face suspensions of at least six games, as well as heavy fines. 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. Matt George @ MattGeorgeSAC. [19] Later that day, the NFL announced it had obtained irrefutable proof of a bounty pool dating back to the 2009 season, based on a review of 18,000 documents. 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. Had the suspensions of Vilma and Hargrove been upheld, they would have been the longest for an on-field incident in modern NFL history, topping the previous record set in 2006, when then-Titans defensive end Albert Haynesworth was given a five-game suspension for stomping on the head of Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Andre Gurode. [93], Despite the media outcry, an independent study speculated that Saints' players may have pretended to participate off the field but not put the tactics into action on the field. Payton was asked about the possible misdeed; he was suspended for the entire 2012 season for his involvement in the Saints' "Bountygate" scheme in which players were paid for injuring opponents. Clark added that he would have reported Williams or any coach that offered to run such a program. 1984-87: Belton High School - Head Coach, Chadiha: Players shouldn't be only fall guys, Kreidler: Explaining Roger Goodell's actions, Howard: Retired player has second thoughts, TMQ: Saints set bad example for lower levels, Hill: Misplaced outrage over NFL bounties, Jacobs: Williams must be banned for 5 years, Clayton: Saints bounties worse than Spygate. Judges only have limited jurisdiction over arbitration issues. [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. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be your head coach for 16 years," - Sean Payton to. Nonetheless, it found the Saints organization as a whole guilty of conduct detrimental to the league as well due to Williams and the players' maintenance of the bounty pool, as well as Loomis and Payton's failure to act "in a responsible manner" to stop it. As a result, he went to Texas to coach his son's youth football team. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at The NFL also previously announced the suspensions of Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games of the 2012 season and Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt for the first six regular-season games. 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. In NFL, non-contract bonuses are known as "bounties.". [85] (Seau would commit suicide less than two months after the interview was published; it was discovered after his death that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a result of the numerous head injuries Seau suffered during his 20-year NFL career. "Seven people testified, 2 sworn affidavits all saying the same thing. Respect for the men that play the game starts with the way players conduct themselves with each other on the field., The statement said evidence reviewed by the league demonstrated that from 2009-11 Saints players of their own accord pledged significant amounts of their own money toward bounties, that players accepted payments for cart-offs and knockouts of injured opposing players, and that the payout amounts doubled and tripled for playoff games.. In the 9 of the last 10 games he . "You have to be accountable and responsible in the NFL," Goodell said. All Rights Reserved. This legendary status is probably why a team like the Dallas Cowboys would love to hire him sooner rather than later. I have offered and the NFL has received our full cooperation in their investigation. No player was taken out of the game and no outcomes were changed by the injury of a player. [84] ESPN columnist Gregg Easterbrook claimed that the Saints' behavior threatened the very integrity of the sport since high school and youth players have long emulated what they see in the NFL. On Tuesday, Sean Payton decided to step down as the New Orleans Saints head coach. "Josh Freeman says Tampa Bay Buccaneers were warned about New Orleans Saints' 'cheap shots'". During the 2010 investigation, Payton told Williams and Vitt to "make sure our ducks are in a row" when the league interviewed them. The league also found that Vitt, whom Payton had assigned to monitor Williams (the two reportedly didn't get along very well), also knew about the broader lines of the scheme and even witnessed Williams handing out payments to players. New light is being brought to the career altering neck injury suffered by Hall of Fame passer Peyton Manning. "Knockouts" were worth. In that same email, Ornstein offered $5,000 to anyone who knocked Rodgers out of the 2011 season opener. The NFL's retort is that with all due deference, you don't get to second guess (Goodell). "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. [12] It initially appeared that Cook's argument was strengthened by the fact that Warner was knocked out of that game with a chest injury (although he later returned), and retired two weeks later. [73], The NFLPA released a statement calling the suspensions unjustified, claiming that Goodell had not furnished them with any evidence supporting the sanctions. In his weekly "Monday Morning Quarterback" column on March 5, SI's Peter King wrote that he believed Williams faced at least an eight-game suspension, and that Payton and Loomis would almost certainly be suspended as well. Later in the game, offensive tackle Frank Omiyale yanked a Saints defender off Cutler when he saw what he later called "some dirty stuff. Directors Charles Kinnane Daniel Kinnane Writers Chris Titone Keith Blum Stars Kevin James Taylor Lautner Rob Schneider 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. GM Mickey Loomis was suspended without pay for the first eight regular-season games of 2012. It also contended that since the alleged conduct took place before the most recent CBA was signed in August, Goodell should have deferred to NFL special master Stephen Burbank in ruling on the players' actions. )[86] Seau's sentiments were echoed by Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton. [11], Favre's agent, Bus Cook, later said that he also felt the Saints were deliberately trying to knock Favre out of the game, and claimed that several hits on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner in the divisional round a week earlier crossed the line as well. Williams, coach Sean Payton, general manager Mickey Loomis and several Saints players were suspended by the league for their role in Bountygate, and hours after those punishments were announced Williams, who had moved on to the Rams, issued this statement: I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the 'pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints,"Williams said in March 2012. Get breaking NFL Football News, our in-depth expert analysis, latest rumors and follow your favorite sports, leagues and teams with our live updates. After a lengthy investigation, the NFL found that Sean Payton not only knew about this but tried to hide the information from the NFL. In football, a player is running the risk of being injured regardless of any bounty scheme in effect. The Saints won the Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. On March 2, 2012, the NFL announced the findings of its investigation, saying that the players and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams pooled their money to pay out the bonuses over three seasons. He'd been at the helm for 16 years. 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. [45], Williams, who left after the season to become defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, was summoned to NFL headquarters after the investigation concluded in mid-February. However, according to many former players, bounty systems of some sort have been around the NFL for decades, with the percentage of players participating speculated to be between 30 and 40 percent. [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." One of those interviewed, Junior Seau, bluntly said that such practices crossed the line into threatening a person's livelihood. Story , Roger Goodell and the NFL have made a scapegoat out of Jonathan Vilma with his one-year ban. Saints assistant Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of 2012. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | 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. Home Team focuses on Sean Payton and his too-good-to-be-true story before he was brought back onto the Saints in the 2013 season. The league discovered that anywhere between 22 and 27 Saints players were involved, and that head coach Sean Payton was both aware and involved in the program's cover-up. 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]. On March 2, 2012, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the NFL had indeed found evidence of a bounty program. 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. He also said that unless the leagues themselves "come up with standards to make sure this isn't going to happen again," he may consider drafting legislation that would extend federal sports bribery laws to cover bounties. Jan. 25, 2022 New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who led the team to its only Super Bowl title and, with quarterback Drew Brees, created one of the N.F.L.'s most successful tandems,. "Bountygate" came up again this week because Beckham claimed Williams told defenders to take him "out of the game" in a 2017 preseason contest. appreciated. [58], On March 21, 2012, the NFL issued sanctions to Saints coaches and front-office personnel for their roles in the scandal. The program involved as many as 27 players and at least one assistant coach, the league concluded after an investigation. The players were paid $1,500 for a knockout, when an opposing player was not able to return to the game, and $1,000 for a cart-off, when an opposing player had to be carried off the field. However, they didn't agree on whether there were rewards for intentionally injuring players. 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. On May 2, the league announced the suspension of four players for their leadership roles in the bounty system. During his tenure, there was one incident that tarnished, if only for a brief time, his otherwise pristine record. Devin White has never been shy about . For many players on that post-Bountygate team, that meant reminiscing about past successes (tight end David Thomas, for one . Preparations for Saints games included warnings to offensive players to keep their knees protected, especially on plays near the sidelines. A Warner Bros. 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. [15] Cerullo was released after the 2009 postseason for poor performance and lying about personal leave according to the New Orleans Saints. [82] Hargrove, signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers in March 2012,[83] did not play during the 2012 season. Nonetheless, the loss of Payton, combined with the distractions caused by the scandal, proved too much for the Saints to overcome. [42], Former safety Ryan Clark, who played under Williams in Washington from 20042005 and himself was fined by the NFL $40,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit against Baltimore Ravens tight end Ed Dickson during the 2011 season,[43] defended Williams, saying that he never ran a bounty program with the Redskins and has yet to see one during his time in the NFL. Payments were known to double or even triple during the playoffs. The data-driven answer is a resounding 'no.' It was known as the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal or simply "Bountygate.". 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. Two of those players were reportedly Kurt Warner and Brett Favre. Fujita, who left the team for the Browns immediately after the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, pledged "a significant amount of money" into the bounty program. 17 Feb 2023 00:46:36 Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, though this would be overturned the following year. [7] Williams and the players pooled their own money to pay out performance bonuses. The league has had a poor track record in recent appeals hearings. 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. Vilma played the final 11 games of the 2012 season for the Saints; Smith played all 16. [6] Contents 1 Background 2 Findings revealed 3 Other allegations against Williams [18][22][24][25], When Benson was informed of the league's findings, he called in Payton and Loomis and ordered the program shut down immediately. [50] Louisiana State University law professor William Corbett told Fox Sports that any legal action by players has a chance of succeeding. There have been a few remarkable claims made in the five-plus weeks since the NFL first announced the discovery of a three-year bounty program in the Saints organization. [29], In June 2012, the league revealed that it possessed a ledger detailing the weekly earnings of the players, which are earned for cart-offs ($1000) and "whacks" ($400) and deducted for "mental errors. . 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. EN RU CN DE ES. Freeman's sources also said that Payton's sanctions were likely to dwarf those handed down to the New England Patriots' Bill Belichick in the wake of the 2007 "Spygate" affair. 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. Here's an explanation of "Bountygate," Payton's suspension and his brief youth football career that led to a Netflix biopic. Jonathan Polynice Vilma (born April 16, 1982) is a former American football linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst. [78], On October 27, 2012, former league commissioner Paul Tagliabue postponed the bounty appeals hearing,[79] expecting to set a new schedule on October 29, 2012. [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]. He is beloved by the city of New Orleans and will probably be a folk hero in that area for the rest of his life. Did the New Orleans Saints injure more players? The whole incident only briefly tarnished the reputations of the Saints organization and Payton, who tried to appeal his suspension. Smith, a captain of the defensive unit, helped Williams with the program and pledged money for it, according to the statement. The quick version is that the New Orleans Saints were paying bounties to defensive players for causing injuries to members of the other team. In an interview with NFL Network's Rich Eisen, Goodell said that the threat to player safety, as well as the fact the Saints lied about it, demanded significant punishment. 1994-96: Houston Oilers - Linebackers Coach or hearsay. [48], CBSSports.com's Pat Kirwan tweeted that within hours of the NFL releasing its report, lawyers for several players were already telling him that their clients were considering legal action against the Saints and Williams. I gave you facts that you can report if so choose. 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. "If the Saints tended to injure more players, then teams that played them would tend to list more injuries the following week. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. He said that players and coaches involved in the scheme could face fines or suspensions, and the Saints could be docked picks in the 2012 NFL Draft and future drafts. Also Checkout: Kurt Warner super bowl wins, Be the first one to comment on this story. In a profanity-laced speech, Williams instructed his players to deliberately try to injure several 49ers players. 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. McCray hit Favre below the knees, briefly knocking Favre out of the game with an ankle injury. Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season, effective April 1. RT @JuniorGalette93: Bold strategy by fox. "I don't think you can be too hard on people that put at risk our players' health and safety," Goodell told Eisen. Doyel also said that while many players had chafed at what they saw as Goodell's heavy-handed approach to discipline, he was actually standing up for their safety in the Saints' case. 1988-89: University of Houston - Graduate Assistant 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. After the Saints defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship Game in what has become a heated rivalry, several Vikings players and coaches claimed that the Saints were deliberately trying to hurt Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. Not only is De'Aaron Fox on a ridiculous scoring stretch, his shooting percentage is beyond efficient. The pool was alleged to have been in operation from 2009 (the year in which the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV) to 2011. Sullivan called the Saints' treatment of Favre "despicable" and "the exact opposite of sportsmanship," and even called for the league to take some sort of action against players involved in that game who had since retired, such as McCray.[71]. I ask that you and ESPN report the facts. All was forgiven and he was back in the league the next year. The behavior detailed in the report was almost universally condemned in the press. "They are on the field, so I don't think they are absolved from any responsibility because of that," he said. It did, but monetary incentives for big hits and even injuries were and probably still is common place. Unsurprisingly, Walton was the top pick overall for the 1974 NBA draft, snagged by the Portland Trailblazers. 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. 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