The more we learn about football injuries, the more troubling the news. Not only has the NFL apparently failed to take the neurologic consequences of concussion seriously, we now know that causing injuries can be part of a team's game strategy.
It will be very interesting to see what kinds of punishment are meted out by the NFL in the wake of its report on payments for injury. A league investigation found that defensive players on the New Orleans Saints earned $1,500 for knocking an opposing player out of a game and $1,000 for an opponent’s being carted off the field. The payments doubled or tripled during the playoffs. The Saints' former defensive coach, Gregg Williams, administered the system, and he had previously implemented a similar system as a defensive coach for the Washington Redskins.
We've seen fines and one-game suspensions for vicious hits, but those have clearly been inadequate. It's bad enough that players assume far too much risk to their health by playing football. They should not have to worry that other teams are putting prices on their heads. And trying to turn injuries from a secondary effect of the game into a primary goal compromises the integrity of the competition.
For this kind of conduct, a lifetime ban would not be too harsh for Williams, who now coaches for the St. Louis Rams. But the NFL probably has not done enough to put him on notice for such a sanction. Still, a multi-year suspension would be reasonable, and anything less than a one-year suspension would be insufficient. Other culprits among Saints management and players must face stiff penalties as well.
I am guessing you never played any serious football. Football is not a contact sport, it is a collision sport. Players assume the risk that they are going to be hit hard. The hits seem to have been within the bounds of the rules, so everyone should just calm down. The formal bounty may seem a bit odd, but football players always talk about taking out the other star players. I played QB for 15 years and am certain defensive players tried to take me out. Keep your head on a swivel and hit back.
Posted by: Brett | March 03, 2012 at 04:32 PM
The comment above is an excellent example of the need for outside intervention in an industry that does not appear capable of policing itself.
But why stop at suspensions? Why not a criminal investigation?
Posted by: Steven Lubet | March 03, 2012 at 05:43 PM
I agree with Lubet--this sounds like a crime to me. There was criminal prosecution for vicious hockey hit, I believe.
Posted by: Frank | March 03, 2012 at 10:43 PM
I'd like to hear from someone who actually played football, preferably at least in college. This sort of thing goes on all the time, formally or informally. I am not saying that it is "right," but even if you shut down the formal bounties, there will always be informal bounties, rewarded with congratulations, etc. (for clean hits, of course). The sport of football is not so far removed from boxing. There the entire object of boxing is to knock your opponent out. And we sanction boxing and boxing is not criminal. Defenses are always told to hit hard - so that the offense becomes more tenative, or so, in extreme cases, they have to leave the game. What if the Saints bounty was expressly limited to clean hits, within the rules? Still have a problem?
Posted by: Anon | March 06, 2012 at 09:06 AM