Dad of targeted 49er: Coach's order borders on "criminal act"

Former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, left, and Chicago White Sox GM Kenny Williams, the father of Kyle Williams.

/ Getty Images

(CBS/AP) The audio is explicit and explosive. Former Saints defensive coordinator and alleged bounty program mastermind Gregg Williams can be heard imploring his players to injure certain 49er players before an NFC playoff game in January. Among the targets: Frank Gore's head, Vernon Davis's ankle and Michael Crabtree's already-damaged knee ligament.

But perhaps the most shocking snippet is when the coach urges defenders "to (expletive) put a lick" on receiver Kyle Williams, a player who was recovering from an earlier concussion.

In audiotapes, ex-Saints coach Gregg Williams heard urging injuries

Kyle Williams' father, White Sox general manager Kenny Williams, said his son "has definite feelings on the subject but has chosen to remain committed to providing all his answers to any questions on the field next season." But Kenny Williams had his own thoughts on the recording.

"Personally, suspension or not, it's probably best I'm never in a room with Gregg Williams and wonder if such an order crosses the line of the aggressive, competitive spirit we all know and love about the sport; and leans closer to a criminal act and therefore a litigious matter," Kenny Williams said in an emailed statement to the Associated Press.

Gregg Williams, who is suspended indefinitely for his admitted role overseeing a bounty system that offered Saints defenders payment for painful hits, did not respond to a phone message and email left with his foundation in Missouri on Thursday.

Williams left New Orleans after last season — his third with the Saints — and was hired as defensive coordinator by the St. Louis Rams.

The NFL has said Williams' bounty system offered off-the-books cash payments of $1,000 or more for hits that either knocked targeted opponents out of games or left them needing help off the field. The Saints have been punished heavily for allowing such a program to continue for three seasons, from 2009 when they Super Bowl through 2011.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Saints head coach Sean Payton for the entire 2012 season, while handing down additional suspensions of eight games to general manager Mickey Loomis and six games to assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who also coaches linebackers. The Saints, meanwhile, were fined $500,000 and docked second-round draft picks this year and next.

The recording was released hours before head coach Payton, Loomis and Vitt went to NFL headquarters in New York for an appeal hearing regarding their unprecedented punishments.

After Vitt's appeal was heard, his lawyer, David Cornwell, was asked about the audio tape. Cornwell said Payton viewed Williams' comments as "a rogue coach about to get fired."

"He was fired two days later," said Cornwell, who also serves as executive director of the NFL Coaches Association. "He was on the way out."

However, when Williams left New Orleans for the Rams in January, nobody with the Saints characterized it as a firing. At the time, Payton said it was apparent shortly before the season ended that Williams, with his contract expiring, was likely going to join new St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher, an old friend. The Saints and Williams never discussed an extension, Payton said then.

[sobobx]

"Bordered on a criminal act?!" It IS a criminal act!

[smittyc]

That's the National Felony League for ya. I don't understand the outrage, this type of playing has been going on for decades. Instead of being called football, it should be called kill the quarterback.

[ATAT8080]

The problem is with the sport, not how it's played.

Imagine the same controversy in an MMA or Boxing match.

Either it's wrong to slam into someone (tactically) or we need to change it to flag football.

I don't have an opinion myself, but would it be a problem if this happened at a mixed martial arts or boxing match?

Unless it's easy to discern between 'legal' and 'permitted' hits, the sports are inherently dangerous. Perhaps injured players should not be playing.

[LKJK]

There is not "border" about it. It IS criminal. What if a Walmart manager offered an "associate" a bonus for injuring a Target employee. Or if Bill Gates offered a Microsoft employee to take out an Apple store. They would not only go to jail, but they would be sued by the target played for the amount equal to several times their salary plus penalties, and by the targeted players employers for an amount equal to several times their worth. In the case of football, that would be in the hundreds of millions.

The NFL is not about assaulting people. IT is NOT part of the game. The targeted players should get restraining orders against everyone involved.

[raysdad]

It is completely opposite of what you explained. To be employed at Wal-Mart or the other examples you made does not involve physical violence or direct confrontation. The sport of football in its very nature is violent. The bonuses themselves were so minimal that it would make no sense to risk a suspension or fine to perform an illegal hit. The unwritten known in this is that all of this occurs in every locker room. It is just never written down or spoken outside of the facility. Try again LKJK. D minus attempt.

[robbyr2]

How is this news? This is how the game has been played as long as recorded history- whether it be NFL football or medieval tournaments or Ben-Hur style chariot races.

[Mathion]

Really?

Maybe it wouldn't have been news back in the middle ages or in ancient Rome, but the times today ain't them. Much of the trouble we have today is because people - much like you - can't tell the difference between what was acceptable behavior in middle ages (and earlier) and civilized behavior today.

Considering gladiatorial games went out in the 4th Century, where intentional infliction of injuries was common, and that football has actually had rules since its inception that are supposed to be followed, among them teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play, I'd say your "How is this news?" question is just a bit disingenuous.

[LKJK]

You can always tell the people who know nothing about sports. They are always the ones that embarrass themselves about how the game "used" to be played. In the old days players actually TACKLED. As in they wrapped the ball carrier up with their arms and dragged them to the ground. They didn't LAUNCH themselves shoulder first into players trying to give the concussions. (This is also why they missed far fewer tackles in the old days and why what should be routine 6 yard receptions turn into 75 yard touchdowns.)

[endrepubs]

Williams needs to be banned from the NFL. Period.

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Bribing someone to cripple an opponent to win bigger money? What part of that isn't a crime. Football is tough and need tough guys to play it. But the object is to get the guy down, not cripple. Hard hits are part of the game, but not intentional cripple plays.

[venusvegasvada]

I have to say I'm shocked he hasn't been brought up on charges and is awaiting trail.

What he did was tantamount to premeditated murder. What if one of these players had their neck snapped and became paralyzed or killed? It's a very fine line between hurting someone temporarily and permanently with no way for this slime ball to tell how things would have worked out.

Does anyone think that a one year vacation was punishment? On top of that, this guy has the gall to try and get THAT overturned?

Unbelievable. Really. The whole thing is like something out of a bad comic book.

[tsao_tsu_g]

Gregg Williams conspired the assaults (outside the rules or laws) with his backs who can be heard acknowledging him. Their motivation was personal gain ($$$$$) and benefits. Thus they entered into a conspiracy to cause harm and receive benefits illegally, a federal (and I assume state crime wherever the conspiracy took place). Payton and/or other assistants have acknowledged knowing and entering into the federal conspiracy and since the NFL reaches across state lines a violation of federal laws. They now constitute a criminal conspiracy, in other words, racketeering. Prosecution for these interstate crimes and the federal conspiracy itself is necessary. Pro sports have become a cesspool and we need to clean them up. Punishment is severe and they (all the violators) should pay with each and every day that a federal court finds convicts them for and serve every last day of the sentences determined by the federal courts.

[KansasCity-2012]

What doe he mean "Border" a criminal act. It IS a criminal act. It converts a contact sport into venue for violent criminal behavior. The coaches need to be prosecuted, convicted, incarcerated and banned from football for life.

[JohnHinAZ]

Absolutely.

[Frontierman1]

Addictedtoweights is more than likely his own human science project with roid needles stuck in his butt...One big buffed troll.