Suspension for the bounty programme – Gregg Williams apologises over his actions – NFL News
Soon after the National Football League (NFL) suspended Gregg Williams indefinitely for his bounty programme, the official has issued apology saying that the ‘pay for performance’ programme is not a true reflection of his values.
The NFL issued the penalty on Gregg Williams as he was found guilty for running an illegal programme when he was the defensive coordinator of New Orleans Saints.
An NFL investigation earlier revealed that Williams used to entice the players to knock the opponents out and gain monetary rewards in return. The investigation also claimed that Saints’ general manager, Mickey Loomis, and head coach, Sean Payton, were also
aware of the malpractice.
The league has suspended Loomis for eight games, while Payton is suspended for one year.
However, since the ‘pay for performance’ programme was Williams’ brainchild, he has received a major punishment.
After serving Saints for three years, Williams recently joined St. Louis Rams as the franchise’s defensive coordinator. He has close ties with Rams’ newly appointed head coach, Jeff Fisher.
After receiving the ban, Williams accepted his mistake and apologised to the Rams and entire NFL. He said in a statement:
“I’d like to again apologize wholeheartedly to the NFL, Coach Fisher, the entire Rams organization and all football fans for my actions. Furthermore, I apologize to the players of the NFL for my involvement as it is not a true reflection of my values as
a father or coach, nor is it reflective of the great respect I have for this game and its core principle of sportsmanship.”
Williams maintained that he would continue to support the league in its investigation and said that he would try his best to revamp his tarnished reputation. He also hoped for returning to the NFL in future after getting reinstated.
He further said:
“I accept full responsibility for my actions. I highly value the 23 years that I’ve spent in the NFL.”
Earlier, Rams also presented their official stance on the matter and said that the organisation respects the league’s decision.
While hoping for Williams to get reinstated soon, Fisher said that he was not aware of the bounty programme before appointing Williams.
On the other hand, the league is expected to continue the investigation to ascertain how many players were involved in the programme.
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