Sean Payton says he’ll ‘never truly get over’ ‘Bountygate’; talks failure of pass interference reviews
The rule was practically written for Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints, but meant to benefit all 32 NFL teams.
Instead, the process of reviewing and overturning (or confirming) pass interference calls didn’t go as planned during the first year of the rule’s implementation, and it doesn’t look like it will be back next season. That’s OK with Payton, whose Saints team lost the 2018 NFC Championship Game to the Los Angeles Rams in large part due to a controversial no-pass interference call, which ushered in a wave of support for the eventually maligned rule.
“I think the theory behind what the league voted on certainly had a chance to be successful. But quite honestly we weren’t ready in New York to handle it,” Payton told Baltimore’s 105.7 The Fan on Thursday, referring to league headquarters, where officials reviewed PI replays and determined calls. “And I know that sounds critical, but that’s just a fact. The consistency and the ability to take in the calls and at least come up with a fairly level basis of what we’re gonna interpret that call on. And if we’re not ready there, then we shouldn’t have it. I think that’s the feeling all of us have right now, including myself.”
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison told the “Going Deep” podcast last week he was handed money by coach Mike Tomlin after a helmet-to-helmet hit on former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in 2010. On Thursday, Steelers president and owner Art Rooney II denied the accusation through a statement.
Payton was asked about the possible misdeed; he was suspended for the entire 2012 season for his involvement in the Saints’ “Bountygate” scheme in which players were paid for injuring opponents. Saints players were ultimately cleared.
