San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke holds no grudge against Gregg Williams – NFL News
San Francisco 49ers’ general manager, Trent Baalke, has indicated that he holds no grudge against former defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, who ran an illegal bounty programme when he was serving New Orleans Saints.
Williams is currently suspended indefinitely by National Football League (NFL) season for that bounty programme.
Recently, a leaked audio tape claimed Williams urging Saints’ defensive squad to target a few 49ers in their playoff game in the last season.
Such efforts and many other notable actions including offering monetary rewards to players for knocking their opponents out forced the league to suspend Williams.
However, Baalke, who has worked with Williams when both were serving Washington Redskins, still consider the defensive coordinator his good friend.
Baalke informed that he had a chat with Williams, but the general manager refrained from providing details of his conversation with the suspended coach. However, he did mention that he still has a good relationship with Williams.
Baalke said of Williams:
"I know Gregg and I've worked with Gregg (on the Redskins). He's a heck of a football coach. I've already reached out to Gregg and anything I've said will stay between him and I."
The general manager further said:
"I don't feel any differently about him today than I did 20 days ago. I've worked with Gregg. Gregg's a friend and he's been a friend. It was only fitting that you reach out and speak with him, and I felt very good about the conversation.”
On the other hand, 49ers’ head coach, Jim Harbaugh, has also refrained from passing negative remarks about Williams.
When asked how he feels about the bounty programme, Harbaugh asserted that he was not aware of the complete details and hence, he said, it would be unjust to just speculate on the matter.
Harbaugh, however, did comment on the playoff game of the last season his team played against the Saints.
While asserting that he has no untoward feelings about the game, Harbaugh referred to the matchup as ‘a great football game’ and commented:
"Both teams played extremely well and we got the better of it. I have great memories of that football game."
Despite Saints’ aggressive outburst, 49ers managed to win that game to qualify for the National Football Conference (NFC) championship final.
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