According to various reports, including one from Mlive.com’s Anwar S. Richardson, the NFL tried to protect Lions players against the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program prior to their NFC Wildcard game this past season.
Richardson states that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell received information prior to the NFC Wildcard game that Saints continued to have a bounty system in place. Goodell then sent two representatives to New Orleans to speak with Saints owner Tom Benson and make sure that no Detroit players were in danger of the now infamous bounty program.
“I sent Jeff Pash (league counsel), and our head of security, Jeff Miller, down to meet with Mr. Benson,” Goodell said. “I believe it was a Friday before a Saturday game. The point was to make it clear to him that we had new incredible information that a bounty program may exist, and that he should make it extremely clear, beginning with the game the next day, that there should be no bounty system in play while our investigation continues.
“We do not want to put our players at risk. That was the message.”
Goodell was not sure if the Saints haulted their bounty system, but said, “Our point was if there is one, you better make sure it’s not in effect because we’re continuing our investigation.”
Ref: Mlive.com