Report: NFL to Investigate Gregg Williams' Rumored Bounty Program with Redskins

"Bounty-Gate" has officially caught up with the Washington Redskins, after the New Orleans Saints were found to have been paying players for performance on the field, which included big hits on players and knocking players out of the game.

The NFL will now reportedly investigate the Redskins on recent claims made by players and coaches that Gregg Williams coordinated a bounty program for big hits during NFL games, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The NFL will reportedly look into whether or not teams and individuals should face disciplinary action.

The NFL has reportedly called Williams to the league's offices in New York to discuss the scandal.

The reports that were released Friday pertaining to the Saints are reportedly the mastermind of former New Orleans defensive coordinator Williams, who is now the defensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams.

Williams also was the defensive coordinator for the Redskins from 2004-07, which is why the league is now investigating whether or not the bounty program was used there, as well.

Matt Bowen, the former safety for the Redskins back when Williams was the defensive coordinator, recently went on ESPN for an interview in which he described exactly what the program ran by Williams entailed.

Bowen said the program occurred throughout the entire week of practice, with Sunday's game being the day where the players get paid for stand-out physical performances on the field. He described it nonchalantly and as something that was a usual occurrence in the NFL, which is probably what stirred the league into looking into this matter further starting with the Redskins.

A former Redskins coach and five players also confirmed the reports that Williams had run a program in which the players would be payed for big hits and knocking players out of the game.

Williams apologized on Friday for the matter, saying, "It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it."

Williams has also been a coach with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars during his career.