NFL: Saints Defense Had ‘Bounty’ Fund aka Saints Players Rewarded For Injuring Players

Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Between 22 and 27 defensive players on the New Orleans Saints, as well as defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, maintained a “bounty” program funded primarily by players in violation of NFL rules during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons, the NFL announced Friday.

The investigation by the league’s security department determined that an improper “pay for performance” program included “bounty” payments to players for inflicting injuries on opposing players that would result in them being removed from a game.

In some cases, the amounts pledged were both significant and directed against a specific opposing player, according to the investigation.

The findings, corroborated by multiple independent sources, have been presented to commissioner Roger Goodell, who will determine the appropriate discipline.

“It is our responsibility to protect player safety and the integrity of our game, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated,” Goodell said in a statement.

“We have made significant progress in changing the culture with respect to player safety and we are not going to relent. We have more work to do and we will do it.”

The Saints’ front office and Williams did not immediately return calls from ESPN seeking comment.

According to the investigation, the players regularly contributed cash into a pool and received improper cash payments of two kinds from the pool, based on their play in the previous week’s game.

Payments were made for plays such as interceptions and fumble recoveries. But the program also included “bounty” payments for “cart-offs,” meaning that the opposing player was carried off the field, and “knockouts,” meaning that the opposing player was not able to return.

The investigation showed that the total amount of funds in the pool may have reached $50,000 or more at its height during the 2009 playoffs. The program paid players $1,500 for a “knockout” and $1,000 for a “cart-off,” with payouts doubling or tripling during the playoffs.

“The payments here are particularly troubling because they involved not just payments for ‘performance,’ but also for injuring opposing players,” Goodell said. “The bounty rule promotes two key elements of NFL football: player safety and competitive integrity.”

The NFL has a longstanding rule prohibiting “non-contract bonuses,” and they violate both the league constitution and bylaws and the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the players’ union.

Clubs are advised every year of this rule in a memo from the commissioner. Citing Sections 9.1(C)(8), and 9.3(F) and (G) of the Constitution and By-Laws, the memo for the 2011 season stated:

“No bonus or award may directly or indirectly be offered, promised, announced, or paid to a player for his or his team’s performance against a particular team or opposing player or a particular group thereof. No bonuses or awards may be offered or paid for on field misconduct (for example, personal fouls to or injuries inflicted on opposing players).”

Saints owner Tom Benson cooperated fully with league investigators, the NFL said.

5. Although head coach Sean Payton was not a direct participant in the funding or administration of the program, he was aware of the allegations, did not make any detailed inquiry or otherwise seek to learn the facts, and failed to stop the bounty program. He never instructed his assistant coaches or players that a bounty program

The league investigation included the review of approximately 18,000 documents totaling more than 50,000 pages, numerous interviews and the use of outside forensic experts to verify the authenticity of key documents.

“Our investigation began in early 2010 when allegations were first made that Saints players had targeted opposing players, including Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals and Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings,” Goodell said. “Our security department interviewed numerous players and other individuals. At the time, those interviewed denied that any such program existed and the player that made the allegation retracted his earlier assertions. As a result, the allegations could not be proven.

“We recently received significant and credible new information and the investigation was reopened during the latter part of the 2011 season,” he said.

WRITTEN BY Adam Schefter is an ESPN NFL Insider & FULL STORY HERE