Sean Payton could have very well danced around a certain topic, but he decided to go full throttle and didn’t hold back.
In an appearance with Jason La Canfora on WJZ-FM in Baltimore, the New Orleans Saints head coach was asked for his thoughts on former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison’s recent comments that he got an envelope from coach Mike Tomlin after delivering a devastating blow to former Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in a 2010 game.
Payton doesn’t expect the NFL to look into it.
“If people are waiting for the league to investigate that, they shouldn’t hold their breath,” Payton told Jason La Canfora of 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore, via Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Advocate. “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.”
“I would be shocked,” Payton said. “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.”
Harrison gave Massaquoi a concussion with that hit and subsequently got a $75K fine.
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Payton was suspended for an entire season after the NFL alleged the Saints participated in a bounty program from 2009-11 in which players were given bonuses for injuring opposing players.
Harrison is out of the league, but Mike Tomlin is still actively coaching the Steelers.
