"[28] Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman reported that the Saints tendency toward illegal hits was common knowledge among the Tampa Bay coaching staff. It is commonly known as the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. He called for Goodell to ban him from the league for life. [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. 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. Two of those players were reportedly Kurt Warner and Brett Favre. Linebacker Jonathan Vilma was suspended for the entire 2012 season, DL Anthony Hargrove was suspended for eight games, Will Smith for four and Scott Fujita for three. [66], Hours after the sanctions were announced, Kluwe went on KSTP in the Twin Cities and demanded that any players involved in the scheme be severely punished, and that the NFLPA let it be known that "there's no place in the league for that kind of behavior." All four players can appeal the suspensions and would be entitled to a hearing and representation by counsel, the statement said. New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma is one of four players suspended for their roles in the "bountygate" scandal. [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. 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. Goodell also implied that Payton would have faced significant punishment in any event, since his contractual obligation to supervise his assistants meant that he at least should have known about the scheme. The NFL has long frowned upon bounties, or "non-contract bonuses" as it officially calls them; but an underground culture of bounties is alleged to exist, with teams, it is claimed, turning a blind eye to the practice. Loomis had been interviewed during the 2010 investigation as well, and had stated that he knew of no such scheme and would stop it immediately if it was taking place. I gave you facts that you can report if so choose. He also argued that Goodell would have no choice but to come down hard on the Saints, given that the league was facing numerous lawsuits brought by former players who suffered head injuries. Rather, he wrote, they were acting as "part of a larger mentality" instilled by Williams. The NFL began investigating the Saints in 2010 in response to allegations of deliberate attempts to injure players during the 200910 playoffs, but the investigation stalled until late in the 2011 season. The NFL's retort is that with all due deference, you don't get to second guess (Goodell). The player suspensions were vacated on technical grounds by an arbitration panel on Sept. 7, 2012, just two days before the Saints' season-opener. An injured Vilma does not play but leads the "Who Dat" pregame chant before the Saints' 40-32 season-opening loss to the Washington Redskins. Jonathan Polynice Vilma (born April 16, 1982) is a former American football linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst. "Knockouts" were worth. Quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked six times, and nearly lost his voice when a Saints player kicked him in the throat. 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. ", "Full NFL statement into 'bounty' program run by New Orleans Saints", "Saints took common practice of bounties to new, dangerous level", "Saints, team officials involved in bounty program should pay dearly", "Saints' shots at Brett Favre were no secret", "Chris Kluwe: Ban Jonathan Vilma for life", "Warner: Saints hit legal, not career-ending", "Saints looking at severe punishment for bounty system", "Sean Payton: NFL hiring of bounty whistleblower Mike Cerullo 'unbelievable', "NFL announces management discipline in Saints' 'bounty' matter", "NFL memo details more Saints bounty accusations", "Matt Hasselbeck shrugs off Saints' 'bounty' target", "Mike Ornstein's association with New Orleans Saints and bounty scandal a perplexing situation", "NFL says Saints created 'bounty' program from 2009 to 2011", "As bounty fallout continues, Goodell to make example of Saints", "Sources: New Orleans Saints kept a 'ledger' detailing weekly earnings in bounty scandal", "Report: Saints Ledger Shows Cart-offs Worth 1K", "New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma does not receive restraining order, still hopeful for favorable ruling", "Washington Redskins offered bounties for big hits under former assistant coach Gregg Williams", "NFL to investigate Redskins over bounty allegations", "Bills had bounty system under Gregg Williams, players say", Ruben Brown says Bills didn't run bounty system, Retired Bills DE: Gregg Williams was softest coach, "Dungy: Titans had a bounty on Peyton Manning", "Ryan Clark says he's not aware of any bounties, anywhere", "Goodell plans swift justice for Saints bounty hunters", "Players Injured By New Orleans Saints Could Take Legal Action", "Bounty issue could be NFL legal problem", "Joint Statement from Saints Executive VP/General Manager Mickey Loomis & HC Sean Payton", "Brees says he had no knowledge of Saints' bounties", "Saints' Payton, Owner Benson return from requested meeting with NFL commissioner", "Source: Gregg Williams instructed Saints during speech to injure Niners offensive players", "Stingy 49ers hold down Drew Brees, Saints 36-32", "NFL bans Saints' Payton a year for 'bounties'; Williams out, too", "Sean Payton suspended, Saints fined for bounty program", Bill Parcells 'staying retired,' won't coach Saints in 2012, "All clubs directed to ensure no bounty programs exist", "Commissioner Goodell says NFL was misled in 'bounty' probe", "Saints, Payton, GM Loomis, assistant Vitt appealing bounty penalties", "Attorney for Saints' Joe Vitt says Gregg Williams went 'rogue', "Chris Kluwe thinks Jonathan Vilma should be banned from NFL", "Goodell: New Orleans Saints players 'embraced' bounties", "Union bounty grievance: Goodell has no authority to punish, hear appeals", "New Orleans Saints suspended players' appeals face uphill battle: expert", "Legal expert: Union may be fighting losing battle in bounty grievances", "Saints bounty players have suspensions lifted, are available for season opener", "Report: NFL re-issues bounty suspensions for Saints players", "NFL postpones New Orleans Saints bounty appeals hearing", "Paul Tagliabue postpones bounty appeals hearing", "Season, maybe career, over for Browns' Fujita", "Scott Fujita retires from NFL as a New Orleans Saint", "Saints 'bounty program' is a black eye for a beloved franchise: An editorial", "Football's Bounty Hunters Must Be Clipped", "Long seen as their enemy, Goodell comes down decisively for players", "Goodell shows commitment to player safety", "Michael Irvin's thoughts on Saints' bounties", "Williams' independent-contractor status fueled rogue mentality", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Orleans_Saints_bounty_scandal&oldid=1139472032. 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. "This is something that is being handled by the NFL office . Vilma played the final 11 games of the 2012 season for the Saints; Smith played all 16. Back in 2012, Payton was suspended from the NFL for a year. [7][12], Benson issued a statement on the Saints' Website saying, "I have been made aware of the NFLs findings relative to the Bounty Rule and how it relates to our club. Bountygate was alleged to have taken place from 2009 to 2011. [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. The pool was alleged to have been in operation from 2009 (the year in which the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV) to 2011. Speaking of significant injuries, Joe Musgrove dropped a weight on his left big toe, causing a fracture. All Rights Reserved. No player was taken out of the game and no outcomes were changed by the injury of a player. However, they didn't agree on whether there were rewards for intentionally injuring players. The NFL's retort is that with all due deference, you don't get to second guess (Goodell). In that same email, Ornstein offered $5,000 to anyone who knocked Rodgers out of the 2011 season opener. Both Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson had sanctions imposed by the NFL overturned through the court system, and there's the belief that should Patriots quarterback Tom Brady face suspension for whatever role he had in Deflategate, he too will pursue legal action. 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. However, Vitt failed to tell anyone about it. Despite the controversy, Payton is still seen as one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time for what he has done with the New Orleans Saints. On May 2, the league announced the suspension of four players for their leadership roles in the bounty system. He even went as far as to call for Vilmathe only player specifically named as being involved in the scheme in the NFL's initial announcementsto be banned from the league for life. "Seven people testified, 2 sworn affidavits all saying the same thing. 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. Between 22 and 27 Saints defensive players were involved. 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. It did, but monetary incentives for big hits and even injuries were and probably still is common place. [74] Goodell issued the suspensions as part of his power to sanction any "conduct detrimental to the integrity and public confidence in the NFL," a violation of Article 46 of the CBA. Payton and Loomis also apologized to Benson and the Saints fans, and promised that such behavior would never happen again. [9] Vikings owner Zygi Wilf even went as far as to complain to the league about what happened to Favre, though no action was taken at the time. 2008: Jacksonville Jaguars - Defensive Coordinator The behavior detailed in the report was almost universally condemned in the press. [80] On December 11, with three games left in the regular season, Tagliabue vacated the players' suspensions, saying in his ruling, "I affirm Commissioner Goodell's factual findings as to the four players. [7][20], The NFL found that Payton and Loomis' misfeasance amounted to "conduct detrimental" to the league. The Saints won the Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. General manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season. Allen's decision to return to school for his senior season was a stroke of genius given his ridiculous production in 2018: 17 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles. (Scott Boehm/Getty Images) The appeal delayed the start of Payton's suspension from April 1 to April 16. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. 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