Jonathan Vilma Offered $10,000 To Whoever Took Out Brett Favre

More details are coming out about the Saints' bounty program that put dollar values on injuring opposing players. Peter King reports that before the 2010 NFC Championship Game against Minnesota, Jonathan Vilma put up $10,000 of his own money to anyone who took Brett Favre out of the game. Favre was on the receiving end of a number of iffy plays, including this tackle to the legs from Bobby McCray.

Favre temporarily had to take to the bench, so perhaps McCray was able to defray the $20,000 fine the league slapped on him. Favre's ankle and thigh looked like eggplants after the game, and he went in for surgery after the season.

Meanwhile Gregg Williams, the ringleader of the bounty pool, has issued an apology.

"I want to express my sincere regret and apology to the NFL, Mr. Benson, and the New Orleans Saints fans for my participation in the ‘pay for performance' program while I was with the Saints. It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it. Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role. I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."