Saints hit with suspensions for bounties

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton has been suspended for one season and former assistant Gregg Williams indefinitely for a bounty system, the NFL said. The league slapped several Saints officials with suspensions, fined the team $500,000 and stripped it of second-round draft choices in 2012 and 2013. The NFL uncovered a scheme in which Williams allegedly awarded thousands of dollars in bounties to defensive players who managed big hits or injured opposing players. The program, which involved up to 27 players, paid $1,500 for a "knockout" hit and $1,000 for a "cart-off" hit. Payoffs were larger in playoff games. The Saints won the Super Bowl after the 2009 season. Williams was defensive coordinator for the Saints in 2009 when the program was in place. He has since become defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams. He has admitted the program existed and apologized. Payton and General Manager Mickey Loomis issued a statement earlier this month assuming responsibility for the bounty program. The NFL said Payton would be suspended for one season without pay beginning April 1. New Orleans assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2012 season and Loomis was suspended for eight games. The suspension of Williams is indefinite, the NFL said in a release.