New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton Gets One Year Suspension For Bounty Scandal
March 21 2012, Published 10:30 a.m. ET
By Debbie Emery - Breaking Celebrity News Reporter
Two years after he led his team to a spectacular Super Bowl win, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton has been slapped with a 12-month suspension for his role in the bounty system scandal.
In addition to sacrificing their highly respected head coach for a year, the Saints will also lose their second round picks in the 2012 and 2013 NFL drafts and be fined $500,000, while former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, and general manager Mickey Loomis is banned from the first eight regular-season games, reported ESPN.com.
The harsh punishment resulted from an in-depth investigation by the NFL, which found that more than 20 defensive players for the Saints participated in a 'bounty' system from 2009 to 2011 that rewarded individuals with cash for harming opposing players.
The cash pool reached $50,000 during the 2009 playoffs when players were paid $1,500 for a "knockout" and $1,000 for a "cart-off," with payouts doubling or tripling during the playoffs.
Williams ran the scheme, and while the NFL does not believe that Payton was a direct participant, he was aware of the payouts and "failed to stop the bounty program."
"We are all accountable and resp