NFL probe finds Saints guilty of bounty-hunting

An NFL probe has found up to 27 New Orleans Saints defenders involved in a "pay for performance" scheme that included "bounty" payments to those who injured opponents. The league said Friday that an investigation by its security department had found 22-27 Saints players were involved in the programme, which violates league rules. Investigators found they received $1,500 for a "knockout" hit and $1,000 for a "cart-off" hit. Payments doubled or tripled during the club's three playoff appearances. The league said then-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams distributed the payments -- which were also made for such plays as pass interceptions and fumble recoveries -- during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons. "The payments here are particularly troubling because they involved not just payments for 'performance,' but also for injuring opposing players," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. The payments violate league rules against bonus payments that aren't spelled out in contracts, and Goodell will consider what punishment to mete out. "The bounty rule promotes two key elements of NFL football: player safety and competitive integrity," Goodell said. "It is our responsibility to protect player safety and the integrity of our game, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated. "We have made significant progress in changing the culture with respect to player safety and we are not going to relent." Goodell said the probe began in 2010 after allegations that the Saints defenders had targeted Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre during their 2009 run to the Super Bowl. "Our security department interviewed numerous players and other individuals," Goodell said. "At the time, those interviewed denied that any such programme existed and the player that made the allegation retracted his earlier assertions. As a result, the allegations could not be proven." Goodell said the league had received "significant and credible" new information that prompted officials to reopen the investigation last year. The investigation found the scheme was funded primarily by players and at one time might have reached $50,000.