| “It made me sick. I just don’t believe in that," Phillips said. (US PRESSWIRE) |
Earlier this spring, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely for his part in the Saints bounty scandal. While Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (suspended a year by the commissioner) has since sued Goodell for defamation, Williams' fate was sealed by a damning audio recording from a January playoff game.
During an appearance on Sports Radio 610 in Houston, Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, an NFL coach for some three decades and the son of legendary coach Bum Phillips, admitted that he had never heard anything like what Williams implored his team to do against the 49ers four months ago.
“It made me sick. I just don’t believe in that," he said according to SportsRadioInterviews.com. "It’s something completely against what I believe in. I knew it wasn’t right certainly and I think that’s where you go. I’ve been around the NFL for 36 years. We’ve never talked about that and hurting another player.”
Last month, Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker was equally appalled, telling NFL Network that "It was definitely shocking," to hear Williams tell his defense to target Michael Crabtree's ACL in that ill-fated audio recording from January of this year. "I would never wish an ACL (injury) on my worst enemy," he said.
Packers linebacker Clay Matthews added that "When you start jeopardizing people's future and their livelihood, I think you're taking it to a whole other level. It's unfortunate because I think at the end of the day we're able to put into perspective and we're just happy to walk off the field wins or losses aside."
Williams has his supporters, however. Former Saints safety Darren Sharper denied the bounty allegations. And Fred Smoot and London Fletcher, who played for Williams in Washington, said the defensive coordinator didn't offer bounties while with the Redskins.
A common thread among some of Williams' defenders (not including Sharper, Smoot or Fletcher) is that "everybody does it," the only difference being that Goodell has decided to make an example out of the Saints. Phillips' response to that line of thinking: “That’s not true,” he said. “I’ve never done it, and I’ve never been around a team that did it.”
For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Ryan Wilson on Twitter here: @ryanwilson_07.