In it, Silver reveals that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams specifically directed his players to injure members of the 49ers prior to their post-season meeting in January, and made “hand gestures” signalling that he would pay money to whoever took out QB Alex Smith.  

(Photo: Matthew Sharpe/Getty Images via BleacherReport)

Silver got the audio from filmmaker Sean Pamphilon of the United States of Football, who had access to Saints team functions for much of the 2011 season while working on a documentary. The speech in question came during a defensive team meeting the night before the Jan. 15 playoff game, in which Williams delivers a profanity-laced tirade intended to inspire his troops to battle. It would be the Saints last game of the season, and Williams would be fired two days later.

Perhaps most damaging to the Saints cause is the timing of Williams’ speech, which would have come well after the NFL had alerted the Saints that they were looking into the bounty program, and right after the league re-opened the investigation and specifically directed owner Tom Benson and Loomis to put a stop to it. The 49ers game was just two weeks later, and while you can’t actually hear the hand gestures, Pahmphilon says he believes “there’s no doubt at all” that Williams put a bounty on Smith in the meeting. And if that’s the case, it means that Loomis and Payton – who were not present at the meeting – clearly didn’t take enough action in policing their own staff.

UPDATE: The Saints are already trying to paint Williams as a “rogue” coach on his way out the door, who acted in defiance of his superiors. It’s clear that Payton and Loomis are going to set Williams up as the fall guy in an effort to lessen their own punishments, but we’ll see how much water that holds with Roger Goodell.

The relevant audio from Williams speech is below, but here are a few of the more notable gems:

QUOTES AND AUDIO AFTER THE JUMP

ON ALEX SMITH

‘We hit [expletive] Smith right there’ – then he points under his chin [and continues] – ‘remember me.’ Then he rubs his thumb against his index and middle fingers – the cash sign – and says, ‘I got the first one. I got the first one. Go get it. Go lay that [expletive] out.’

ON FRANK GORE

“We’ve got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore’s head,” Williams told the players. “We want him running sideways. We want his head sideways.”

ON KYLE WILLIAMS

“We need to find out in the first two series of the game, the little wide receiver, No. 10, about his concussion,” Williams said to the Saints’ defenders. “We need to [expletive] put a lick on him, move him to decide. He needs to decide.”

ON MICHAEL CRABTREE

“We need to decide whether Crabtree wants to be a fake-ass prima donna or he wants to be a tough guy … We need to find that out, and he becomes human when you (expletive) take out that outside ACL.”

And that, my friends, would appear to be the smoking gun. As we’ve said all along, once all the information comes out, we’ll be shocked if Williams ever coaches again in the NFL.

(WARNING: NSFW FOR LANGUAGE)

Payton was reportedly "stunned" by the news (Photo: SBNation.com)

As if that weren’t enough bad news for New Orleans fans, the Saints were also fined $500,000, and will forfeit their 2nd round picks in 2012 and 2013.  Furthermore, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has been suspended for eight games, assistant head coach Joe Vitt has been suspended 6 games without pay, and individual player punishments are still forthcoming.  All of the suspensions begin on April 1st except for Williams, whose suspension starts immediately.

You can read the complete release from the NFL here, but we’ll go ahead and highlight the most relevant sections:

“We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,” Commissioner 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,” Commissioner Goodell continued. “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 willful 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.”

It’s definitely a huge blow to a Saints program that has been at the top of the league in recent years, and one has to wonder if it was all worth it – all of this, just to give a little walking around money and bragging rights to a bunch of millionaires for doing what they’re already paid handsomely to do. The Saints clearly crossed the line when they added the layers of “knock outs” and “cart-offs” to the mix, but most high school and college football programs have similar performance-based incentives … they just use stickers instead of money.  Stick to the stickers, guys, and everything will be just fine.

A few other interesting tidbits from the league’s findings:

• The investigation showed bounties being placed on four quarterbacks of opposing teams – Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and Kurt Warner. 
• Coach Williams acknowledged that he designed and implemented the program with the assistance of certain defensive players. He said that he did so after being told by Saints Head Coach Sean Payton that his assignment was to make the defense “nasty.” 
• Coach Williams described his role as overseeing record keeping, defining payout amounts, deciding on who received payouts, and distributing envelopes with cash to players who “earned” rewards.
• In each of the 2009-2011 seasons, the Saints were one of the top five teams in the league in roughing the passer penalties. In 2009 and 2011, the Saints were also in the top five teams in unnecessary roughness penalties; in 2010, the Saints ranked sixth in the category. 
• In the January 16, 2010 divisional playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saints defensive players were assessed $15,000 in fines for fouls committed against opposing players. The following week, in the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saints defensive players were assessed $30,000 in fines for four separate illegal hits, several of which were directed against quarterback Brett Favre.
• Coach Williams now acknowledges that when he was first questioned about this matter in early 2010 he intentionally misled NFL investigators and made no effort to stop the program after he became aware of the league’s investigation.

Was this the moment that changed Manning's career forever?

The two biggest stories in the NFL right now are Peyton Manning’s release from the Colts, and the bounty system run by Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams while with the Saints and Redskins before them.  And now it seems that those two stories might intersect in a most interesting way, as former colts head coach Tony Dungy has suggested that Manning’s neck issues could be traced back to an injury sustained while facing a Williams-coached Redskins defense in 2006. And if that’s the case, Williams’ little bounty program will have made a far bigger impact across the league than anyone could have imagined.

On the play in question [VIDEO HERE and below], Manning was hit by Redskins defenders Andre Carter and Phillip Daniels in a high-low combo, with Daniels holding on to Peyton’s helmet all the way to the ground, thus twisting the QB’s neck and body into an extremely awkward position. Manning’s helmet eventually popped right off of his head, and he immediately showed signs of being injured, shaking his right arm ”as if trying to get the feeling back in it.” The Colts called a timeout and Manning was able to return on the next play without any immediate ill-effects, but many believe that this was the beginning of the nerve damage that led to four neck surgeries and his current free agent status.

“The guy wouldn’t let go of my head,” Manning said after the game of Daniels, who was fined $5,000 by the NFL for the hit. “I looked at my helmet to see if my head was in it.”

VIDEO OF MANNING’S INJURY AFTER THE JUMP

For his part, Phillips denies any intent to injure Manning on the play, and there havent yet been any reports of a specific bounty on the Colts quarterback for that particular game. But now that Williams’ pay-for-performance programs are being uncovered everywhere he’s coached around the NFL, one can’t help but wonder if there was a little extra motivation for the Redskins defense to take out the opposition’s star player.

And if it turns out anyone actually got paid to take out the league’s golden boy – in addition to the confirmed bounty placed on Brett Favre by the Saints, Roger Goodell is going to have a field day when he hands down punishment on Williams and anyone who was involved. This could get ugly.

Mike Golic might have a unique perspective on all this bounty talk

Here’s a fun little trip down memory lane! Back in 1989, the Buddy Ryan-led Philadelphia Eagles played their rival Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, in a nationally televised game that would forever come to be known as the “Bounty Bowl“.

In it, Ryan was accused by Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson of placing a $200 bounty on kicker Luis Zendejas, and a $500 bounty on quarterback Troy Aikman. On the Cowboys’ only kickoff of the game, which Philadelphia won 27-0, Eagles linebacker Jesse Small sprinted straight at Zendejas (who had previously played for Ryan and the Eagles) in an obvious attempt to take him out. Zendejas dove to avoid the hit, but took a knee to the head resulting in a concussion, and setting off a firestorm of controversy.

Despite Johnson’s attempts to challenge Ryan to a fight in an alley, it was all fun and games in the media as Johnson made fun of Ryan’s “big, fat rear end”, who in turn deflected the controversy by making light of his own weight. Ryan also claimed that Zendejas was the one trying to injure Smalls, and wondered aloud “Why would we want to knock out that kicker? He wasn’t making any kicks at the time. We wanted him out there.”

On Monday, Mike Golic – who played for the Eagles in both games - said on ESPN that “there were bounties in that game”. But at the time, commissioner Paul Tagliabue turned the other cheek and exonerated Ryan of any wrongdoing - a claim that Ryan still clings to this day - and pretty much everyone got a big kick out the idea of bounties in football. Two weeks later, the league even promoted the re-match for ratings as “Bounty Bowl II”, which was marketed by CBS with wanted signs and became memorable for the snow/ice balls lobbed onto the field (and at announcers) by the Philadelphia fans.

BOUNTY BOWL VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP

But now, 20+ years later, it seems that the attitudes in NFL locker rooms haven’t changed all that much, with the Saints bounty scandal as the news of the day, and more and more stories coming out about similar pay-for-performance systems being commonplace around the league. And this should come as a surprise to absolutely no one. Now, there’s a big gap between rewarding someone for making an interception or a sack (or even a big hit), and putting a dollar value on injuring a specific player … but at the end of the day, it all stems from the same mentality, and is not a good look for the league as it tries to clean up its image as a violent game.

The biggest difference today is that Roger Goodell certainly isn’t going to look the other way like Tagliabue, and is sure to drop the hammer on the New Orleans Saints and Gregg Williams (and possibly Sean Payton), to make an example out of them.

Interesting side note: Gregg Williams got his NFL coaching start as a member of the Houston Oilers staff in the early ’90s, where he worked under none other than defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan. Hmmmm …

I wonder what the bounty on Larry Johnson was for this game (Photo: one4theotherthumb.com)

Today, the NFL announced that the New Orleans Saints were engaged in a “pay-for-performance” system from 2009-2011, including bounty payments for injuries to opposing players. 

According to a league memo, 22 to 27 Saints players participated in the program that was administered by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with the St. Louis Rams), and with the knowledge of head coach Sean Payton. Apparently, during their recent championship run, the Saints had specific payments of $1,500 for “knockouts” and $1,000″ for “cart-offs”, with escalating payments for playoff games. Sometimes, the incentives for less violent plays like interceptions or touchdowns, but the bounties occasionally came with specific targets attached to them, like Kurt Warner and Brett Favre.

The other big name at the center of all this is linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who reportedly plunked $10,000 on a table prior to the 2009 NFC Championship game versus the Minnesota Vikings, saying “this goes to the guy who knocks out Brett Favre”. 

And while it may not come as a surprise to many in the game that bounties like this still exist, this is going to be an absolute nightmare for the Saints, and particularly Williams, who reportedly ran a similar bounty program during his time the Redskins defensive coordinator, from 2004-2007.  For his part, Williams issued a lame apology, that rings wildly hollow when you realize that Williams has been guilty of this practice for no less than seven years, and probably with every team he’s coache with in the league:

“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. “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.”

Yeah, good luck with that Gregg. It’s no secret around the league that Williams has had some questionable coaching tactics, and with the league’s increasing effort to decrease injuries in the game, this whole bounty thing isn’t exactly the look Roger Goodell was going for. Knowing Goodell, the hammer is going to come down on both the Saints and Williams, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see Williams suspended for a long time – if not banned from the game for life – to make an example out of him.

One thing’s for sure: this is an unqualified bombshell, on par with the Patriots’ Spygate, and could quickly turn into the story of the NFL’s off-season. Williams has been a coach in the league with no less than six teams over the last twenty years, so look for even more tales of similar pay-for-performance programs to emerge, indicting even more of the NFL’s Boba Fetts.

(Photo: ESPN.com)

In an unprecedented disciplinary move, the NFL has suspended Steelers’ LB James Harrison for one game following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns QB Colt Mcoy last Thursday (VIDEO HERE).  It was Harrison’s fifth illegal hit against a QB in the past three seasons, which qualifies Harrison as a “repeat offender” and therefore made him subject to suspension.

From the league’s official statement:

Harrison was penalized for roughing the passer in last Thursday night’s Steelers-Browns game for an illegal helmet-to-helmet hit against a defenseless quarterback, Cleveland’s COLT MC COY. In addition to four fines for illegal hits against quarterbacks in 2009 and 2010, Harrison also was fined twice for unnecessary roughness during that period. Harrison totaled six fines in that two-year period.

The 2011 League Policies for Players manual states: “Players who were fined for violations in 2009 or 2010, and whose fines were either partially or fully upheld, will be considered second and/or repeat offenders under this policy.”

Prior to now, the league had only levied fined against players for such behavior, but Harrison has been the poster child for the league’s new policy against helmet-to-helmet hits for years now. Despite the fact that Harrison plans to appeal, there really is no defense for the way he lowered the crown of his helmet directly into McCoy’s facemask the way he did on this play. Roger Goodell had finally seen enough, and decided to drop the hammer.

Whether or not you agree with the legue’s crackdown on vicious hits, this is the NFL today … like it or not. And after years of fines and warnings, it’s clear that Harrison still just doesn’t get it. Maybe missing some actual game time will get through to him.

BONUS GIF OF THE HIT AFTER THE JUMP

(Image via mocksession.com)

Suh was fined $20k for this hit on Andy Dalton during the preseason (Photo: BleacherReport.com)

Detroit Lions’ DT Ndamukong Suh sat down with commissioner Roger Goodell yesterday in New York, to help gain a better understanding of the NFL’s rules as it relates to Suh’s particularly physical style of play. Suh initiated the meeting himself, having been flagged for three personal fouls already this season, and fined three times (for a total of $42,000) for over-zealous hits since entering the league in 2009. As a result, Suh has started to gain a reputation as a dirty player, and was looking for some clarity during Detroit’s bye week as to exactly what he’s doing wrong.

This preseason, Suh hypothesized that he “put refs in a tough situation because of his strength” … in other words, he’s just too much of a beast for the pro game, and referees have no choice but to throw a flag when faced with his awesomeness. And there’s probably a bit of truth to that statement, since it often seems as though Suh simply overpowers opposing lineman on his way into the backfield and destroys anything that gets in his path. So, Suh understandably wanted to know if the issue can really be fixed by adjusting his technique, or if it’s an unavoidable result of the way he plays the game.

For the meeting, Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and team president Tom Lewand joined Suh in a show of support for their all-pro lineman, while Goodell was flanked by his team of evil overlords league personnel. Together, they watched video of specific plays in question and discussed ways for Suh to stay within the rules. Afterward, Suh had this to say:

“I have gained a better understanding how I need to continue to play the game to help my team win,” Suh said in a statement. “I look forward to the rest of the season and doing everything we can to bring the Lombardi Trophy to Detroit.”

For his part Goodell released this equally cordial statement:

“Ndamukong plays the game with great skill and passion and is a major reason for the Lions’ success this year,” Goodell said in a statement. “In the course of our dialogue today, we reviewed video showing that Ndamukong has clearly made the adjustments to play consistently within the rules so that he can continue to help the team. We commend Ndamukong’s leadership in taking the initiative to schedule today’s meeting.”

Well isn’t that just super? Everyone is all buddy-buddy now. But we’ll see what happens the next time Suh hammers another helpless quarterback and endangers the health of one of the game’s most precious superstars.

Suh hits people and Goodell fines people. It’s just fundamentally who they are, and something tells me that neither are particularly going to change their stripes moving forward.

Today, at least according Kluwe’s latest whiteboard bomb, the league issued a memo to players banning the use of iPads 90 minutes prior to gametime, for any reason. As you may have heard, a lot of teams are using iPads as playbooks and game film tools in today’s Jobs-ian society (RIP Steve), and the tablets have become ubiquitous in NFL locker rooms.

So, with his Vikings at 0-4 and nothing better to do, Kluwe decided to have a little fun with Goodell again, posting this new fake memo to Twitter, ostensibly from his iPad:

“The front office was kind enough to send us another memo! Whiteboard time!”

(Image via Lockerz.com)

If Kluwe is to believed (we haven’t seen any other news of this memo elsewhere), apparently Goodell is getting twitchy about these iPads being hacked into in order to access an opponent’s gameplan prior to kickoff … or something like that. And whether or not you believe that’s a realistic concern, this is the latest instance of der commissioner trying to control his players’ every move. Kluwe also made a follow-up post, wondering how the league would enforce the new rule, and if they’d install a “mandatory Net Nanny for all NFL employees’ electronic devices”.

This probably isn’t Kluwe’s best stuff (although the Depends crack made us chuckle), but you certainly have to question the timing of the memo from Goodell, especially given this week’s passing of Jobs, and the ensuing cultural firestorm it has created. Unless this is all just a timely satirical social commentary by Kluwe, and there was no real memo to begin with. In which case, Chris is way more clever than we gave him credit for, and we tip our hat to him.

Raider nation is in mourning today, as the Oakland Raiders’ iconic owner Al Davis has passed away at the age of 82.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released this statement:

“Al Davis’s passion for football and his influence on the game were extraordinary. He defined the Raiders and contributed to pro football at every level. The respect he commanded was evident in the way that people listened carefully every time he spoke. He is a true legend of the game whose impact and legacy will forever be part of the NFL.”

(Image via reddit/r/nfl)

For all of his outlandish behavior and questionable managerial decisions toward the later part of his career, Davis’s impact on the game of football is undeniable. His rebellious persona defined the Raiders organization during his 48 years with the team, and he brought a defiant attitude that helped launch the NFL into the stratosphere. Davis’ “Commitment to Excellence” and “Just Win, Baby” are forever part of our sports lexicon.

Love him or hate him, Al Davis was a force of nature, and there won’t likely be another like him in our lifetime.

Rest in peace, Al.

(Photo: NYDailyNews.com)

Two days after Giants S Deon Grant was caught diving to the turf in an effort to stop the clock and slow the Rams no-huddle offense, the NFL issued a warning that players, coaches & teams caught faking injuries to disrupt the flow of the game could be punished with fines, suspensions and/or loss of draft picks. Although referees are powerless to penalize players suspected of feigning injury during the game itself, the league sent a memo to all 32 teams saying they would be reviewing questionable plays and handing out disciplinary action where appropriate for “conduct detrimental to the game”.

But several players have indicated that feigning injuries has long been a strategic part of the game, and is something that is even coached in certain circles:

“I’ve been places where it has been (taught),” said Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, a member of the players’ union executive committee. “They have a name for it and I’ve been places where it’s been pre-called. I’ve been places where it’s one player who has been designated. Maybe I’m getting everyone in trouble, but I’m just being honest.”

“It’s always been in the game,” Ravens All-Pro safety Ed Reed said. “It’s all tactical stuff you need to use. Whatever it takes. … If you’re tired, you’re tired. You get a break however you can.”

Added 49ers running back Frank Gore: “Hey, I feel if it helps, do it. I’m bound to do it. Whatever it takes to win …”

Obviously, we don’t want to see football go down the road of constant flopping that has taken over the NBA and international soccer, but it’s not like this has become an overwhelming problem in the sport (yet, at least). Plus, Goodell is going to have a tough time enforcing this rule, when its nearly impossible to say definitively whether or not a player was hurting, cramped, got a stinger, or whatever … unless they’re a particularly bad actor (like Grant).

Grant maintains that he banged his knee on the previous play, and went down when he realized he wouldn’t be able to get off the field in time, but nobody’s buying that. Grant is a savvy veteran, and he wasn’t the only Giant to fall to the ground on the play. And the injury time out might have saved the game for the Giants, who were able to catch their breath and force a field goal on the drive. So regardless of any potential punishment, the Giants would probably say it was worth it.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan didn’t go so far as to say he’s coached the tactic himself, but he didn’t deny it either, adding ”It happens all the time, and warnings will come out … and it’s happened again.”