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Saint to sinner! New Orleans coach Payton banned after probe into schemes to reward players for hurting opponents
By Sportsmail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 17:35, 21 March 2012 | UPDATED: 19:31, 21 March 2012
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for a year following an investigation into 'bounty' schemes which rewarded players for hurting opponents.
The Saints, who won the Super Bowl under Payton in 2009, have been fined $500,000 (£315,500) while former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended without pay for the first eight games of the upcoming regular season while assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for six games.
Banned: New Orleans head coach Sean Payton after winning the Super Bowl and with Gregg Williams (below) who has also been suspended by the NFL
The league said they had yet to decide on punishments for players involved in the scheme.
Up to 27 players were also included in the scandal, and although the Players' Association are holding their own investigation the NFL decided not to punish them or withold their own punishments any longer.
According to the league's probe, Williams collected money from players throughout the season, to be paid out as a reward for 'big hits' and plays which took opponents out of the game.
The cash pool reached $50,000 (£31,500) or more during the 2009 playoffs, and players were paid $1,500 (£950) for a 'knockout' and $1,000 (£630) for a 'cart-off' with payouts doubling or tripling during the playoffs.
Money was provided primarily by players and at times, the bounties even targeted specific players by name.
Sean Payton and Gregg Williams
A statement on www.neworleanssaints.com added: 'The NFL's extensive investigation established the existence of an active bounty programme on the Saints during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 seasons in violation of league rules, a deliberate effort to conceal the programme's existence from league investigators, and a clear determination to maintain the programme despite express direction from Saints ownership that it stop as well as ongoing inquiries from the league office.'
'We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,' Goodell said.
'We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.
'A combination of elements made this matter particularly unusual and egregious.
'When there is targeting of players for injury and cash rewards over a three-year period, the involvement of the coaching staff, and three years of denials and wilful disrespect of the rules, a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game.'
Williams, now with the St. Louis Rams, was the central figure in the bounty system, according to the NFL's investigation.
The team will forfeit their selections in the second round of the NFL drafts in 2012 and 2013.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...#ixzz1pqDT3caT
By Sportsmail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 17:35, 21 March 2012 | UPDATED: 19:31, 21 March 2012
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for a year following an investigation into 'bounty' schemes which rewarded players for hurting opponents.
The Saints, who won the Super Bowl under Payton in 2009, have been fined $500,000 (£315,500) while former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been suspended indefinitely.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended without pay for the first eight games of the upcoming regular season while assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for six games.
Banned: New Orleans head coach Sean Payton after winning the Super Bowl and with Gregg Williams (below) who has also been suspended by the NFLThe league said they had yet to decide on punishments for players involved in the scheme.
Up to 27 players were also included in the scandal, and although the Players' Association are holding their own investigation the NFL decided not to punish them or withold their own punishments any longer.
According to the league's probe, Williams collected money from players throughout the season, to be paid out as a reward for 'big hits' and plays which took opponents out of the game.
The cash pool reached $50,000 (£31,500) or more during the 2009 playoffs, and players were paid $1,500 (£950) for a 'knockout' and $1,000 (£630) for a 'cart-off' with payouts doubling or tripling during the playoffs.
Money was provided primarily by players and at times, the bounties even targeted specific players by name.
Sean Payton and Gregg WilliamsA statement on www.neworleanssaints.com added: 'The NFL's extensive investigation established the existence of an active bounty programme on the Saints during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 seasons in violation of league rules, a deliberate effort to conceal the programme's existence from league investigators, and a clear determination to maintain the programme despite express direction from Saints ownership that it stop as well as ongoing inquiries from the league office.'
'We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,' Goodell said.
'We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities. No one is above the game or the rules that govern it. Respect for the game and the people who participate in it will not be compromised.
'A combination of elements made this matter particularly unusual and egregious.
'When there is targeting of players for injury and cash rewards over a three-year period, the involvement of the coaching staff, and three years of denials and wilful disrespect of the rules, a strong and lasting message must be sent that such conduct is totally unacceptable and has no place in the game.'
Williams, now with the St. Louis Rams, was the central figure in the bounty system, according to the NFL's investigation.
The team will forfeit their selections in the second round of the NFL drafts in 2012 and 2013.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...#ixzz1pqDT3caT