The Facts:
Sean Payton apologized Friday for the bounty scandal under which New Orleans Saints players were offered payouts for big hits on opponents, saying he takes "full responsibility" for the system that operated for three years under his watch. "I share and fully support the league's concerns and goals on player safety. It is, and should be paramount," Payton said in a statement released by the team. "Respecting our great game and the NFL shield is extremely important to me.
Reported by NFL.com
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
In case you missed it, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday
suspended Payton without pay for the 2012 season, effective April 1, one of several unprecedented penalties he issued against the team and its officials. The NFL has said Payton initially lied to NFL investigators about the program, at first denying its existence, and also instructed his defensive assistants to lie. The league also slapped an eight-game suspension on general manager Mickey Loomis and a six-game suspension on assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who also coaches linebackers. The NFL has said punishment for players who participated in the bounty program will come later, meaning the Saints also could see some defensive regulars suspended. The league has said between 22 and 27 players participated in the program, which usually paid hundreds of dollars but sometimes thousands.
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