Anthony Hargrove Says He Was Told to Lie During Saints Bounty Investigation

Here we were, thinking the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal couldn't get worse. Anthony Hargrove, one of the team's suspended players, made sure that wasn't case.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Hargrove was reportedly told by former coaches to lie to NFL investigators:

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Former New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove submitted a signed declaration to the NFL in April detailing how he was instructed to lie to the NFL by current and former Saints assistant coaches Joe Vitt and Gregg Williams in 2010 about the team's bounty program.

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Let's dive a little deeper into this report and find out what exactly it means for everyone involved.

What was Hargrove's intent?

According to the report, Hargrove, who filed this declaration through the NFL Players Association, was hoping to prove that he "and other Saints players were merely following orders by coaches."

Whether this is true or not, this just seems like a last-ditch effort by Hargrove, who officially appealed his suspension today. 

Seriously, though, what exactly is this going to do? Everyone already knew Hargrove and the other suspended players were following coaches' orders. Head-hunting is what got them suspended, and this doesn't change that. All this declaration does is prove Hargrove's involvement in the scandal.

It's a nice effort by Hargrove to save himself and others, but it won't help his case.

Who is affected?

First, you have Gregg Williams. New Orleans' former defensive coordinator is already pretty much assured he won't get another job in the NFL, so all this report does is add to his tarnished image.

The most important name in the report, however, is Joe Vitt. New Orleans' acting head coach already has a six-game suspension, but he could easily be looking at more.

The NFL is a powerful entity, and it doesn't like being lied to or deceived. Lying or making others lie about the bounties won't be taken lightly. Vitt could definitely receive even more games off. 

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