According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the NFL has suspended New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton for one year. His suspension will begin on April 1st.
Saints have also been fined $500,000 by the NFL and have lost a 2nd round pick in the 2012 and 2013 draft.
Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has been suspended for eight games and fined $500,000. Assistant coach Joe Vitt has been suspsended for six games and was fined $100,000. And defensive coordinator St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams have been suspended by the NFL indefinitely.
Don’t forget, the NFL still hasn’t decided on what the penalties will be for players involved in the bounty program.
Here’s the NFL’s official statement on the bounty penalties.
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This is total garbage. Roger Goodell is simply out to get the Saints. I understand the penalties have to be harsh, but to suspend Sean Payton for an entire year when Bill Belichick was given a little slap on the wrist is absurd. Roger should be consistent. Beill Belichick was gaining a COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE for YEARS with his videotaping of other teams’ signals. And he wasn’t suspended for one single game. Not. One. Game.
There is no comparison to between taping signals and trying to injure someone on purpose. Yes, Bill should have been suspended but not for a year like Sean Payton.
You are right, there is no comparison. Bill Belichick got a competitive advantage from his cheating which allowed him to win three Super Bowls. The Saints, on the other hand, were at a competitive disadvantage because they got flagged for personal fouls which allowed their opponents to sustain drives. Belichick’s cheating was far more pervasive and far, far more egregious. And he’s the one who instituted the program. All Sean did was try to cover up a program that SOMEONE ELSE STARTED!
You Patriot fans are hilarious tho.