A speech recorded by a documentary filmmaker allegedly captures former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams imploring his players to injure precise San Francisco 49ers the night just before January’s NFC Wild Card Game.
Darlington: Savage behavior
In the speech, a portion of which was captured by filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, Williams delivers a fiery, profanity-laced speech urging Saints players to inflict harm on many 49ers, such as quarterback Alex Smith, operating back Frank Gore, and receivers Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams.
“At a single point Williams says, ‘We hit (expletive) Smith right there’ — then he points beneath his chin (and continues) — ‘remember me,’ ” Pamphilon told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports. “Then he rubs his thumb against his index and middle fingers — the money sign — and says, ‘I got the very first 1. I got the initial 1. Go get it. Go lay that (expletive) out.’ “
It’s unknown if the NFL got a hold of this audio throughout its investigation of the Saints’ “bounty” program. The NFL declined comment to NFL.com’s Steve Wyche on regardless of whether the audio recording in the Yahoo! story or any other information in the write-up was evidence it previously had or if it was new.
Pamphilon captured the footage although operating on a film about former Saints special teams player Steve Gleason, who suffers from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Pamphilon stated he believes “there’s no doubt at all” that Williams placed a bounty on Smith. Pamphilon emphasized to Yahoo! Sports that Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis had been not in the area throughout Williams’ speech.
Williams was suspended indefinitely by Commissioner Roger Goodell for his role in the “bounty” program.
Goodell will listen Thursday to appeals from the Saints ($ 500,000 fine, two lost draft picks), Payton (suspension for the 2012 season), Loomis (eight-game suspension), and assistant coach Joe Vitt (six-game suspension).
Loomis and Vitt arrived at NFL headquarters on Thursday. Payton is scheduled to arrive later in the day for his appeal.
Williams, who was hired by the St. Louis Rams this offseason, did not appeal his indefinite suspension.
(About:) This write-up was distributed by Syndicated Sports news wire and aggregation service, For more NFL news see: Report: Williams urged Saints to injure 49ers prior to playoff game.
