Saints ran a 'Bounty' Program - Now with 100% More Suspensions!

Gregg Williams has issued a public apology for organizing a system with the New Orleans Saints that paid bounties to defensive players for big hits on opponents and big plays.

The NFL released findings of an investigation today that found Williams orchestrated an illegal system that paid players cash for three seasons with the New Orleans Saints.

"I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. (Tom) 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 a statement released by the St. Louis Rams, which hired Williams as defensive coordinator on Jeff Fisher's staff.

"It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."

The bounty system is against NFL rules and the Saints face potentially stiff sanctions from commissioner Roger Goodell. Williams could also be fined or suspended by the NFL. This story isn't going away real soon. Stay tuned.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Gregg-Williams-owns-up-to-bounty-system-with-Saints.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Greg Williams should be bant from the league.

Will be interesting to see how the league handles this.

Players get blacklisted for their attitude and nobody signs them (moss & to).

A coach offers bountys, he has to miss significant time imo

Report: Williams had bounty system in Washington too

Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams didn't start his bounty system in New Orleans. It goes back to his days with the Redskins at the very least.

Mark Maske of the Washington Post has a detailed report that could submerge Williams in hotter water with the NFL. If that's possible.

Four Redskins confirmed that a similar bouny system was in place in Washington to the one in New Orleans. Only one of the players was willing to be quoted on the record. Former defensive lineman Philip Daniels defended Williams, while also admitted what happened.

Daniels believed Williams started the program with money taken from players late for meetings or practices. Daniels said that former Redskin Sean Taylor made a lot of money in the system.

"I think it is wrong the way they're trying to paint [Williams]," Daniels added. "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 a good, hard football."

The other players weren't as generous in their assessment.

"You got compensated more for a kill shot than you did other hits," said one former player.

One thought Williams took the system "a little too far."

"If you took the star player out, he'd hook you up a little bit," another player admitted, while also defending Williams.

The most any Redskins player ever was paid in the system was believed to be around $8,000. Daniels said he got $1,500 for a four-sack game. (So what do you have to do for $8,000? Maim someone?)

"He actually had a saying, 'If you cut the snake's head off, the body will die,' that was his motto," said one unnamed player. "It was made clear that he was talking about not just running backs who turned their heads the opposite way and how they would go down, but also about other stars on offense that were the best players on that team."

This is all damning stuff, but probably not any more damning than the information the NFL has already obtained in the Saints investigation.

Still, it can't help Williams' chances of avoiding a suspension of his own.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/02/report-williams-had-bounty-system-in-washington-too/

Lol darren sharper

Naw we didn't have no bounty program.

Yeah we exchanged money for ints, sacks, hits, and kept a tally board for wac (?)and big hits but no bounty programs

anybody looking for Rams fans perspectives go check the Musings thread in Niner Talk

Originally posted by jreff22:
anybody looking for Rams fans perspectives go check the Musings thread in Niner Talk

If I'm the Rams I'm considering firing Williams, and I'm skeptical of the Williams/Fisher relationship in Tennessee, too. Not good for that franchise at all.

f**k the Saints, I swear. Easily one of my most hated teams now. This was just icing on the cake....

I hope we MURDER these f**kers next year at their house.

This is a delicate situation for the league. Its big business and expanded far beyond its original demos. And now you have a lot of guys in the league and former players, less enlightened individuals at best, who are coming out saying "its not a big deal" "football is tough" "we hit people." And the moment the veneer of acceptable violence is lifted - this becomes MMA and the audience dwindles.

No one wants to be the NBA. Also I think the league buried this with a 5 PM Friday deal hoping to stay out of the news cycles.

Originally posted by RDB4216:

Originally posted by okdkid:
Won't happen. Too soon. They won't decide on punishments by the 5th.

Saints may consider trading Brees for two firsts under the franchise tag, if they anticipate not having a pick for the next couple years.

You're right, too soon. But that doesn't mean that if the Saints do tag Brees, that the NFL might not revoke it later. Which I assume would make Brees an immediate free agent, if a long term deal had not yet been struck.

Or maybe they'll get a deal done by throwing in all the money they won't be spending on draft picks for the next year or two.

Explains a whole lot.

Originally posted by 12b6demurrer:
Explains a whole lot.

if you look he throws a punch, it "could" be described as an attempt to strip the ball. Like Staley posted on his twitter...

Joe Staley ‏ @jstaley74 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Just seeing all the reports about the Saints D. I knew there was something fishy about getting punched in the face during our playoff game

Originally posted by niner4life21:
f**k the Saints, I swear. Easily one of my most hated teams now. This was just icing on the cake....

I hope we MURDER these f**kers next year at their house.

Stay classy! If anyone of you don't think this is getting blown waaaay out of proportion, you are crazy. There is an agenda here. You don't think every D player and coach doesn't want there players to knock the other teams O out? The amount of money is a pittance! The biggest question... who the f**k keeps 50,000 pages of said "illegal" acts for evidence to bust them should somebody squeal? This whole things smells funny!

I would hate to be on that saints offense next year lol.....every defense in the league is gonna be fired up to lay wood on that offense after this, as payback.

Originally posted by CharityMike: The biggest question... who the f**k keeps 50,000 pages of said "illegal" acts for evidence to bust them should somebody squeal? This whole things smells funny!

The league report is 50,000 pages, not the evidence itself.