Hardly Saints: Roger Goodell Punishes Sinners with Harsh Fines and Suspensions

Not all sinners are Saints, so NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has put the team owners on notice that their squads better not offer bounties in which players are rewarded for purposely injuring their opponents.
 
The commissioner said that bounties "are incompatible with our efforts to promote sportsmanship, fair play, and player safety" and backed it up with strong action by suspending New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season. GM Mickey Loomis, who turned a blind eye on the practice, has been suspended for the team’s first eight games.  Meanwhile, former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, most recently an employee of the St. Louis Rams, has been suspended indefinitely.  His prospects of ever working again in the NFL are greatly diminished.
 
It was a situation which required a swift and strong punishment, and that’s exactly what Roger Goodell delivered, reinforcing his reputation as decisive and effective commissioner.  While the decision was overshadowed in the news by the New York Jets announcement that they had obtained Tim Tebow from the Broncos, the punishment for bounty-hunting is a much more important and far-reaching story.  Indeed it could be likened to Kenesaw Mountain Landis banning the Chicago “Black Sox” for life.
 
Never before had the leadership of a team been suspended for such a lengthy amount of time.  The Saints also lost second-round draft picks in 2012 and 2013 and were fined $500,000. The Commissioner has yet to punish players, such as Jonathan Vilma, who were involved in the head-hunting practice.

Jed Hughes is Vice Chair of Korn/Ferry and the leader of the executive search firm's Global Sports Practice.  Among his high-profile placements are Mark Murphy, CEO of the Green Bay Packers; Larry Scott, Commissioner of the Pac-12 Conference; and Brady Hoke, head coach of the Michigan Wolverines.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Hughes coached for two decades in professional and intercollegiate football where he served under five Hall of Fame coaches: Bo Schembechler (Michigan), Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh Steelers), Bud Grant (Minnesota Vikings), John Ralston (Stanford) and Terry Donahue (UCLA).  Follow him on Facebook, Twitter @jedhughesKF.