Four former members of the Buffalo Bills have told The Buffalo News that there was a bounty system in place during the tenure of former coach Gregg Williams. Former safety Cory Wire and three other defensive players, who wished to remain anonymous, told the newspaper that a bounty system was in place. Two of the players said cash bonuses were in place for "knockout shots" that sent opponents out of games.
Four former members of the Buffalo Bills say a bounty system was in place while Gregg Williams was the head coach of the team from 2001-03. (AP Photo)
"There was financial compensation," Wire told the newspaper. Williams was the Bills' coach from 2001-03. He then became defensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins, where allegations of a bounty system were reported by The Washington Post. After losing his job with the Redskins in 2008, and after a one-year stop as defensive coordinator with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Williams was hired by the New Orleans Saints, who are currently under investigation by the NFL for a similar bounty system. Williams is currently the defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams.
Wire told The Buffalo News that there was an environment of "malicious intent" when he arrived in Buffalo in 2002. "There were rewards," Wire told the newspaper. "There never was a point where cash was handed out in front of the team. But surely, you were going to be rewarded. When somebody made a big hit that hurt an opponent, it was commended and encouraged."
Wire said he never received a bounty reward and he didn’t remember how the payment structure was set up or how much cash was distributed for those kind of hits. Two of the players who requested anonymity specifically mentioned "knockout shots" but didn’t elaborate. The other player who requested anonymity told the newspaper the reward system was run more by his teammates at the time than by Williams’ staff.
"It was talked about," that player told the newspaper. "I think it happens a lot of places, and it’s been going on for a really long time."