Gregg Williams, a former defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and current defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, will
meet with NFL security officials Jeff Miller and Joe Hummel on Monday
to again discuss alleged violations of the NFL's bounty rules, ESPN.com
reported Sunday.
NFL executive vice president and general counsel Jeff Pash also may be
involved in the talks on Monday, according to the article, which used
unnamed sources,
A conversation between Williams and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has
not yet been scheduled, but it could take place this week while
Williams is in New York for the other discussions.
An NFL investigation found that Williams and several Saints players
were involved in a bounty system that rewarded players financially for
big plays, which included putting opposing players out of the game.
Several former Redskins players subsequently told the Washington Post
Williams employed such a system at Washington as well.
The Buffalo News reported that former Bills players said Williams such
a system existed in Buffalo when he was head coach.
Williams delivered message early
Saints defenders knew immediately what the approach of Williams would
be.
In the spring of 2009, his first statement to the defense in its first
meeting, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, was, "Knock 'em
the ---- out!"
There was no mystery regarding Williams, according to the report, and
one NFL assistant called Williams Gen. McArthur.
Most players seemed to like his approach, but that remark may come back
to haunt Williams now that the NFL is investigating his alleged bounty
system for knocking opposing players out of the game.
Williams bragged about "turning running backs' heads," according to the
Times-Picayune article.
The article noted that Williams learned his approach from alleged
bounty hunter Buddy Ryan, who reportedly placed a $200 bounty on a
kicker in a 1989 game between the Eagles and Cowboys.
Williams admitted in a statement on Friday that he "got caught up" in
the bounty game and called it "a terrible mistake.
Add Bills to the list
Add the Buffalo Bills to the list of teams that allegedly ran a bounty
program under Williams, and had players who reportedly considered the
program a routine part of NFL culture.
The Bills had their own cash incentives to seriously injure players
under former head coach Williams, several former Bills defensive
players told The Buffalo News. Players backed up previous claims that
such programs are widespread throughout the NFL and not limited to
teams coached by Williams.
Former Bills safety Coy Wire and three anonymous former defensive Bills
players spoke to the News. Wire played under Williams in 2002 and 2003,
the last two years of his tenure has head coach. He told the News there
was an aura of "malicious intent" around the program.
"That's real," he told the News in a phone interview, of Williams
paying players to injure opponents. "That happened in Buffalo. There
were rewards. There never was a point where cash was handed out in
front of the team. But surely, you were going to be rewarded. When
somebody made a big hit that hurt an opponent, it was commended and
encouraged."
Bills CEO Russ Brandon told the News he had no knowledge of such a
program during Williams' time in Buffalo.
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