Sean Payton On James Harrison's Claim: That’ll Be Something That’s Tucked Away Under The Rug At Park Avenue.
The charge made by former Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher James Harrison that head coach Mike Tomlin gave him an envelope with as yet undisclosed contents after a hit he made on Cleveland Browns receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in 2010 has spread quickly. New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who was suspended for a year under 'Bountygate', weighed in as a guest on 105.7 The Fan with Jason La Canfora in Baltimore.
“If people are waiting for the league to investigate that, they shouldn’t hold their breath. I think what took place with us back in [2012] in so many ways was a sham, and yet there wasn’t a lot we could do with it. The players were vindicated, but from a . . . coaching standpoint, there is no union. There is no representation.”
A fired up Payton continued his criticism:
“I would be shocked. That’ll be something that’s tucked away under the rug at Park Avenue. They’ll look into it briefly. Listen, don’t get me started on that. I lost $6 million in salary, and honestly it was something that I’ll never truly get over because I know how it was handled and how it was run and the reasons behind it. That’s just the truth.”
Payton saying this isn't without risk. The NFL could reprimand him for criticizing their handling of both with Bountygate as well as the situation now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It'll be interesting if Roger Goodell does anything about these comments or if he opts to leave them alone, hoping they disappear. Engaging might inflame the crisis into something much larger, but this may have already gotten enough attention where that's unavoidable.
In regards to the comments made by Harrison, the Steelers organization are strongly denying anything unethical happened.
"I am very certain nothing like like this has ever happened. I have no idea why James would make a comment like this, but there is no basis for believing anything like this." - Steelers President Art Rooney II
