Bountiful Saints

The NFL has announced that an extensive investigation has revealed that the NO Saints ran a bounty system for the past three seasons which rewarded players for injuring opponents. From the NYT:

During the past three seasons, while the National Football League has been changing rules and levying fines in an effort to improve player safety, members of the New Orleans Saints’ defense maintained a lucrative bounty system that paid players for injuring opponents, according to an extensive investigation by the N.F.L. The bounty system was financed mostly by players — as many as 27 of them — and was administered by the former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who also contributed money to the pool. The N.F.L. said that neither Coach Sean Payton nor General Manager Mickey Loomis did anything to stop the bounties when they were made aware of them or when they learned of the league’s investigation. According to the league, Loomis did not even stop the bounties when ordered to by the team’s owner.

I predict a few minor wrist slaps - it's not like crippling an opponent was something serious like running a dogfight - and everybody forgets about it. Though I wouldn't bet on Drew Breeze making it through next season in one piece.

If the NFL were serious, it would impose lifetime or at least multi-season bans on the guilty GM and coaches. Players should sit out at least half a season.

Not a very likely scenario.

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