Goodell sends right message, slamming Saints, Payton
It was Gregg Williams' (right) bounty program, but Sean Payton allowed him to do it. (AP photo)
(Last updated: 2:20 p.m.)
Roger Goodell got it right Wednesday – not just for coming down hard on the New Orleans Saints in general and coach Sean Payton in particular, but for slamming somebody who doesn’t wear a uniform.
The NFL commissioner suspended Payton, the Saints’ head coach, for the entire 2012 season for his role in the team’s bounty program. He also suspended former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now with St. Louis) for at least one year, assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six games and general manager Mickey Loomis for eight games. The Saints also will lose two second-round draft picks (2012 and 2013) and must pay a $500,000 fine.
The Saints will be allowed to keep their shoes.
Player discipline will be forthcoming. But the punishment against Payton and the team, while harsh, is justified. The Saints not only implemented a bounty program that “endangered player safety over a three-year period,” quoting from the NFL’s official news release (or jury verdict), but they lied about it. Allegations regarding the 2009 Super Bowl season initially were investigated in 2010, but couldn’t be proved. Team officials denied it then, and again this past season when new evidence surfaced.
The league referenced, “a deliberate effort to conceal the program’s existence from league investigators, and a clear determination to maintain the program despite express direction from Saints ownership that it stop as well as ongoing inquiries from the league office.”
If we know one thing about Roger Goodell, it’s that he doesn’t like being lied to.
“We are all accountable and responsible for player health and safety and the integrity of the game,” he said. “We will not tolerate conduct or a culture that undermines those priorities.”
Don’t confuse the NFL’s licensed violence with premeditated assault. As former Chicago Bears safety Doug Plank said two weeks ago, “I can’t believe a coach, a team or an organization would stand behind that [bounty] policy. For a coach to even address something like that with players, like, ‘This is a person we can remove from the game,’ that puts you on pretty thin ice.”
Given the backdrop, it's safe to assume this photo was taken back when Goodell was welcome at the Saints' facility. (AP photo)
The investigation revealed the Saints placed bounties on four opposing quarterbacks: Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner. It said the Saints’ Jonathan Vilma “offered $10,000 to any player who knocked Brett Favre out of the [2009] NFC championship game.”
Was it Goodell’s objective to make an example of the Saints? Absolutely. His mission is to “protect the shield.” The ripple effect of this punishment will be felt in 31 other front offices.
But this particularly sends a great message to players. Goodell has been known as “the discipline” commissioner. For the past several seasons, he has come down hard on players for on- and off-the-field actions that he believes casts the league in a negative light. There has been a perception he is not equally tough on coaches or team officials. (An exception: “Spygate.” Goodell disciplined the New England Patriots for videotaping the New York Jets’ defensive hand signals in 2007 and took a first-round draft pick away from the team.)
Goodell largely is viewed as the owners’ guy. Of course, he is. He works for the 32 NFL owners, not the 1,700 players. That was reaffirmed with several comments he made during collective-bargaining talks and the lockout before last season.
But there is no dispute here. If Goodell didn’t wreck the Saints, he certainly left them doubled-over.
A recent Super Bowl winner – and the Falcons’ primary competition in the NFC South – just lost its head coach (Payton), his top assistant (Vitt) and its general manager (Loomis). The $500,000 fine means little. The two second-round picks mean significantly more.
Saints owner Tom Benson will not invite Goodell to dinner at Commander’s Palace any time soon.
Goodell said the involvement of players is still being reviewed and punishment will be decided at a future time. But coming down on those not wearing the uniforms is significant. He made the right call.
By Jeff Schultz
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562 comments Add your comment
MJinATL
March 21st, 2012
4:38 pm
So who gets the extra picks that the Saints lost? They should’ve lost two first rounders also.
OldGold1964
March 21st, 2012
4:38 pm
Seriously, how can you enforce suspension of an NFL GM? You might bar him from team office and facilities and functions, but can you take away his telephone and prohibit dinner with friends/associates? How about social meetings after church, if another team employee goes to same church? Can he not ride publice transportation if another team employee does at same time?
BVT
March 21st, 2012
4:43 pm
Drew Brees is full of doodie. There’s no way this went on for 3 years and he never heard a word about it in the locker room. He obviously has low standards for what qualifies as a great man too. I know exactly zero great men who want to see others hurt. Sean Payton is the most classless coach I’ve ever witnessed. Runs the score up whenever he gets the chance and now this. Well deserved suspension.
Raymar
March 21st, 2012
4:44 pm
One last comment: Drew Brees, Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham, Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram, Chris Ivory and the best O-line in the NFL. They are all coming back to put up 40 points a game again, genuises, with or with out Sean Payton. The Falcons couldn’t score 40 on the Saints if the whole defense gets suspended. Bye-bye losers.
WHO DAT??????
March 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
“The investigation revealed the Saints placed bounties on four opposing quarterbacks: Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner”
CAM????
They must have been pissed off bammer fans. Cam really hurt bama nation. First the fans tried to kill the trees and then tried to kill Cam.
Chris Goltermann
March 21st, 2012
4:45 pm
Can we officially change their name to the Sinners now?
SawThat1nce
March 21st, 2012
4:46 pm
Barring a GM from the “team office and facilities and functions,” seems like it would be very effective in the suspension of said GM.
WHO DAT??????
March 21st, 2012
4:47 pm
“Can we officially change their name to the Sinners now?”
They will forever be a tarnished football program.
just facts
March 21st, 2012
4:49 pm
you people who say that Drew Brees did not know about the bounties are just unbelievably stupid, unbelievably naive, or both.
Dan
March 21st, 2012
4:51 pm
Now I am not a Saints fan but I would like to see the rules on this bounty. If it was paid for clean hits only, I don’t think it is quite as deplorable as the politically correct are saying. Hey anyone who is a football fan loved to watch “jacked up”, anyone who has played knows that the entire team when watching film goes nuts when someone is decleated or sent to the bench seeing stars after a big hit. Not talking about blowing out knees or pile driving someone on their head now, if they were paid for that I am all over the condemnation. I just haven’t seen that explained
rivercard
March 21st, 2012
4:51 pm
No bounty on Ryan. Saints get an A for threat awareness.
Dan
March 21st, 2012
4:53 pm
Oh and you know those “stars” or mascot symbols stuck to college and HS football players helmets, yeah guaranteed some of them are for “knockout” hits
rivercard
March 21st, 2012
4:54 pm
Dan – You won’t because you are injecting logic and common sense into the argument. Not popular with the PC and emotion driven crowd.
Delbert D.
March 21st, 2012
4:58 pm
I expect criminal charges will be filed against all involved by the Attorney General.
Al
March 21st, 2012
5:00 pm
Harsh Punishment? They still get to keep the trophy that they cheated to win, as well as the rings and all playoff bonus money. It sounds to me like it was worth it.
The moral of the story: If you are going to cheat, make sure you are successful.
Hillbilly D
March 21st, 2012
5:04 pm
I think this is a good decision although I wonder if the penalty won’t be lessened under an appeal. In my opinion, they probably aren’t the only team doing it but they did get caught.
Back in the day, I heard talk of high school teams doing stuff like this, on not so grand a scale of course.
SeenThisB4
March 21st, 2012
5:07 pm
Hey falcan’t fans: Do you think the penalities imposed on the Saints management and the forthcoming ones on the defensive players, will give your sorry team a competitive advantage on the field this coming year?
LOL! Some of you dimwits think it does! LOL!
Fourth and six inches!
Jenkins
March 21st, 2012
5:09 pm
Now if we can impose more penalties against the city by making their felons return home then we might be onto something.
kerryb
March 21st, 2012
5:12 pm
Sean Peyton now has time on his hands to check himself into a rehab and get off the Vicodin.
Go Home
March 21st, 2012
5:13 pm
Bourbon Street dancer ….We would love for you to take your backside back to the rat hole NO. Some of us will be glad to take up a collection to help with expenses if needed!
PB
March 21st, 2012
5:13 pm
A year off for Sean Payton does seem a little excessive… But think the Commissioner was trying to send a message to anyone else thinking about doing same thing. And giving out stickers for helmets for good play in college is not same as giving direct pay outs for “knocking out” a certain player. Everyone involved in Saints scheme should have know it was wrong.
kerryb
March 21st, 2012
5:14 pm
BREAKING NEWS: The Saints are in trade talks with the Broncos to acquire Tim Tebow to improve their destroyed image.
Ueeediot
March 21st, 2012
5:14 pm
“According to the league, Saints defensive captain Jonathan Vilma offered $10,000 to any player who knocked then-Vikings QB Favre out of the 2010 NFC championship game.”
“Punishment for any Saints players involved will be determined later, because the league is still reviewing the case with the NFL Players Association.”
…The party isnt over yet. Players have yet to be suspended.
kerryb
March 21st, 2012
5:15 pm
Vilma’s about to lose a year too. Maybe that’s why the Saints are talking to Lofton.
Ueeediot
March 21st, 2012
5:17 pm
The league didnt suspend Payton or Williams ONLY for the practice of running the bounties.
Both Payton and Williams and the GM directly lied to the NFL when asked about the practice.
In fact, Payton lied to investigators until they showed him an email where he wrote to Williams and acknowledged the bounty on A Rodgers as late as week 1 of last year.
The severeness of these penalties is because they LIED.
Expect Vilma and several other players to receive suspensions and penalties forthcoming….
Ueeediot
March 21st, 2012
5:21 pm
@ Dan:
from ESPN articles:
“All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL warns teams against such practices before each season, although in the aftermath of the revelations about the Saints, current and former players from various teams talked about that sort of thing happening frequently — although not on the same scale as the NFL found in New Orleans.
In a memo sent out to the NFL’s 32 teams, Goodell ordered owners to make sure their clubs are not offering bounties now. Each club’s principal owner and head coach must certify in writing by March 30 that no pay-for-performance system exists.”
It is illegal, its always been illegal, and it is communicated annually to the teams.
Does it happen everywhere? Probably. Did everyone get caught? Nope.
And as in most cases, football or otherwise, the first entity to get caught gets made an example of.
Old Dawg Fan
March 21st, 2012
5:21 pm
I have always despised the Saints! I never liked Payton, dont know the other but they are slugs. The Players who participated in this and benefited from it financially should also have been releaved of their duties. This was wrong on so many levels. Play football-play hard but don’t try to put someone out of the game on purpose!!! Poor sportsmanship. I don’t really care for the “Commiss” but he did good here!
SWAT Native
March 21st, 2012
5:27 pm
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer group of guys….
Go Home
March 21st, 2012
5:27 pm
Bourbon Street dancer – Stupid is as stupid says. Vicks situation was his and his alone. The Falcon team and organization had nothing to do with it. This bounty issue was the entire Aints organization and is far worse because it included the entire organization. Please, please go back to NO. You’re sinking up Atlanta.
mothers concerned
March 21st, 2012
5:29 pm
Pats did get caught cheating vick did kill dogs but to go out and try to hurt others players is very wrong and to bet on it which they are making a lot of money already is so sad. If it had been your family member out there playing you wouldn’t be saying all this right now if they have gotten hurt saints fans.
M&M
March 21st, 2012
5:30 pm
Jeff, ? Why don’t you ban some of these nasty mind Saints Fans ?!
SWAT Native
March 21st, 2012
5:31 pm
@ SeenThisB4 – I have to give you credit for being man enough to show up on this blog today. Look forward to not hearing from you this upcoming season.
M&M
March 21st, 2012
5:33 pm
This is our forum, Not theirs !
rivercard
March 21st, 2012
5:34 pm
Old Dawg- Play football-play hard but don’t try to put someone out of the game on purpose!!! Poor sportsmanship.
*********************************
The Hall of Fame is full of guys who tried to do just that. I for one hope they don’t try to continue to lessen the physical and yes violent nature of football.
No sympathy for the coaches/management – as their involvement and cover up are inexcusable.
Fred Macmurray
March 21st, 2012
5:39 pm
That is a Nice Rack Gregg Williams is sporting there…..
Falcons Fan
March 21st, 2012
5:43 pm
Can can we send the Falcons to New Orleans? They suck suck suck.
Falcons Fan
March 21st, 2012
5:44 pm
Look at Gregg Williams’ man boobs. Wow…
"Chef" Tim Dix
March 21st, 2012
5:46 pm
Only League mandated violence using League issued weapons, I mean equipment, for gainful employment will be tolerated.
No moonlighting.
oldfart
March 21st, 2012
5:47 pm
Goodell had to remove this threat to the true NFL economics. One $10K hit could negate a Billion dollars worth of wagering.
Also in hindsight, regardless what you think of him as a QB Favre was a tough SOB.
Fred Macmurray
March 21st, 2012
5:48 pm
It only took SeenThisB4 what,,, almost 4 months to crawl out from that rock he’s been hiding under LOL… Welcome back bud,, where ya been?
Dan
March 21st, 2012
5:50 pm
@ueeediot, still doesn’t answer the question of dirty hits or not AND that rule clearly implies the team cannot pay for such things, not sure collections from players and coaches constitute payment by the team. Again now that it is out the league had to do something and I believe they did the right thing, what I am questioning is the “moral outrage” that is largely manufactured. If it was for clean hits only, punish them fine, lets just stop with the fake outrage. and BTW I do have falcons season tickets and there are no more obnoxious fans than Saints fans
Frank
March 21st, 2012
5:51 pm
I remember one of the Saints-Falcons games this year where one of our players (can’t remember who) got hurt very early in the game by getting his legs chopped out from under him. I recall feeling a bit strange about it, that it happened so early in the game, and replays made it appear that it was intentional, but the announcers didn’t say anything about it, other than it looked like it hurt. I’m sure there are plenty of examples where Ryan or Turner were targeted, which will come out in the continuing investigation.
ln29576
March 21st, 2012
5:52 pm
Saints Fan here, New Orleans is use to storms, we always rise up and we always are better for the damage the storm has put on us. Ok, I will say this, “your chances of beating us in 2012 has maybe gone up 5%’. Not a very big % so don’t get your hopes up. Atlanta is still trying to figure out how to “Rise up”, but we have many times and we will this time, Stronger and better. GO SAINTS, WHO DAT!!!.
Matty Ice
March 21st, 2012
5:54 pm
NFL has no other choice. They are being sued out the wazoo by PREVIOUS players that were injured…. They are in court daily paying ex-players for claims from injury.So players sue the league… Goodell has to makethe game safer… period.. Ex players like Ronnie Lott and Joyn Lynch said they had never ONCE hdd a bounty program in their team…. so not “everybody does it” – Sucks to be a saint.
DawgVoiceofReason
March 21st, 2012
5:56 pm
Roger brought the HAMMER down!!! And deservedly so. It is fantastic to finally see just punishment dished out to the management/coaches involved in this debacle. Now, if they would take the same approach in College football with coaches who cheat and move on to other schools (or to the NFL). Those guys should be hit with big time suspensions if they remain college coaches and fined huge (and I mean huge) $ if they leave for the NFL. While this certainly helps the Falcons, I’m glad that the punishment fit the crime, regardless of the fact this is the Saints.
rj
March 21st, 2012
5:56 pm
this guy is a real dirtbag. Maybe the players should attempt to roll him up again on the sidelines if he ever comes back coaching (which I hope he does not). a little man trying to play in a big man’s game
SeenThisB4
March 21st, 2012
5:58 pm
@SWAT Native: When the very first post on this story calls me out, it’s difficult not to post. But, I think that today’s rulings is a good reason to show up. I have avoided coming to this second rate blog during the off season, one cause they put out so few updates or stories, like what? one a day, if that? SAD. And two, I don’t really care what happening in the falcan’t locker room, besides, your team has been paralyzed in free agency. Geez, did Goodell suspend the falcan’ts during free agency?
Even with the penalities, the Saints will dominate and win the NFC South in 2012, which will not only reflect how weak your team is, but how good our’s is.
I’ll be back, when camp starts.
TD has no clue!
March 21st, 2012
5:58 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!
SawThat1nce
March 21st, 2012
6:02 pm
In29
25:5
In29@5:52………..Let’s see how well the saints do without the help of the NFL Zebras this season.
It ain’t going to be pretty for the saints, without the protection of those NFL officials on the field.
SeenThisB4
March 21st, 2012
6:04 pm
Saints 12 – 4, without Zebra’s help, and without HC, GM, & half the defense!
Tampa 10- 6
falcan’ts 9 – 7
CAR 8 -8