ESPN NFL

An attorney from the private sector who advised the NFL during the Saints bounty investigation disputed linebacker Jonathan Vilma's claim that he did not intend to pay bounties for knocking Kurt Warner and Brett Favre out of playoff games in the 2009 season and the he never set out to intentionally hurt another player.

“The evidence overwhelmingly supported the charges,’’ Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney, said in a conference call with the media Thursday. “I haven’t seen the statement that Mr. Vilma may have issued. He plainly, as were the other players, was invited to participate with counsel in an interview to provide his side of the story if there was a different side of the story. He declined to do that.

“If you look at the press release issued yesterday, plainly the conduct there is quite specific as to bounties being pledged by Mr. Vilma. On two occasions, you know the identities of whom the bounties were placed on, the amount of the bounties and when they were placed. There is very, very strong evidence from multiple independent sources reporting those charges.’’

White also said that defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove (now with the Green Bay Packers) said he was told to lie about the bounty program when asked about it in 2010. Hargrove since has signed a declaration admitting the bounty program existed and he took part in it. White was asked if Hargrove disclosed who initially told him to lie to investigators.

“He did, but I don’t think it is appropriate to reveal that,’’ White said.

White went on to repeatedly emphasize how strong the NFL's evidence was. You can read more of what she had to say here.

There have been so many subplots to the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program that some significant ones have gotten lost in the shuffle.

Thanks to Jeff Schultz for bringing attention to one of them. In this column, Schultz writes about the role and stance the NFL Players Association has taken and suggests the union change its name to “the Union of People We Feel Like Representing."

He’s got an excellent point. In its statement after the suspensions of Jonathan Vilma, Will Smith, Scott Fujita and Anthony Hargrove were announced, the union said it had “not received any detailed or specific evidence from the league of these specific players’ involvement in an alleged pay-to-injure program."

That’s a pretty standard line from the NFLPA. Think back to last year’s lockout. How many times did we hear the union say that the NFL would not share information how much each team was making, even though the league repeatedly said the union had been supplied with as much information as possible.

It’s a similar story this time. Former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has admitted the bounty program took place and there is that damning audiotape of Williams talking to his players the night before last season’s playoff game at San Francisco. The NFL also has said that multiple sources said Vilma offered $10,000 of his own money for bounties on Brett Favre and Kurt Warner. The NFL said Smith assisted Williams in establishing and funding the bounty program. The league also said Hargrove submitted a “signed declaration to the league that established not only the existence of the program at the Saints, but also that he knew about and participated in it’’. The league also said Fujita pledged a significant amount of money to the bounty program.

What more evidence does the union want?

Obviously, the union is prepared to stand by Vilma, Smith, Hargrove and Fujita, who just happens to be a member of the NFLPA’s executive committee, as they make their expected appeals. Any union should stand by its members because they pay dues that should bring them support from their union.

But this is where things head to an area that looks to be painted in multiple shades of gray. The NFLPA will try to protect the four suspended members.

That screams out one huge question -- what about the union’s hundreds of other members? They pay dues too and, presumably, that buys them protection as well. Shouldn’t the union be standing by Favre and Warner, who paid dues for years? And shouldn’t the union be protecting Carolina quarterback Cam Newton and Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who the league said were also targets of the bounty program?

By standing so firmly with the suspended players, the union seems to be giving the appearance it doesn’t care about its other members or their safety and welfare. I’m sure the union would dispute that and say it cares about all its members and there’s probably truth in that.

But perception is everything. And the way the union has handled this thing so far sure make it look like it has a serious conflict of interest on its hands.

Maybe the union should step aside on this one. I don't see how you fully can stand up for the rights of your players when one group is trying to hurt another group. The union can pick a side, if it wants. But maybe choosing to not pick a side and staying out of this one is the only way the union can avoid the perception of a conflict of interest.

New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who was suspended by the NFL earlier Wednesday, issued a statement through his attorney a few minutes ago. Here it is in its entirety:

Vilma

“I am shocked and extremely disappointed by the NFL’s decision to suspend me for the 2012 season. Commissioner Roger Goodell has refused to share any of the supposed evidence he claims supports this unprecedented punishment. The reason is clear: I never paid, or intended to pay, $10,000, or any amount of money, to any player for knocking Kurt Warner, Brett Favre or any other player out of the 2009 Divisional playoff game, 2010 NFC Championship Game or any other game.

“I never set out to intentionally hurt any player and never enticed any teammate to intentionally hurt another player. I also never put any money into a bounty pool or helped to create a bounty pool intended to pay out money for injuring other players. I have always conducted myself in a professional and proud manner.

“I intend to fight this injustice, to defend my reputation, to stand up for my team and my profession, and to send a clear signal to the commissioner that the process has failed, to the detriment of me, my teammates, the New Orleans Saints and the game.’’

Vilma doesn’t quite say it, but it sure sounds to me like he’s planning to appeal the suspension.

Say this much about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell -- he’s consistent.

Goodell was harsh when he issued punishment for the New Orleans Saints organization, coaching staff and front office for roles in a three-year bounty program. Saints coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely, assistant head coach Joe Vitt will be suspended for the first six games of the season and general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the season. The Saints also were fined $500,000 and had to forfeit a second-round draft pick in 2012 and 2013.

When the NFL announced player discipline Wednesday, Goodell was just as harsh. He suspended New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma for the entire season and Vilma no longer can take part in offseason workouts. New Orleans defensive end Will Smith will be suspended for the first four games. Former New Orleans defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove, now with Green Bay, will be suspended for the first eight games and former New Orleans linebacker Scott Fujita, now with Cleveland, will be suspended for the first three games.

Smith, Fujita and Hargrove can continue taking part in offseason programs and will start their suspensions just before the regular season.

As it did with the announcement of discipline for the coaches, Loomis and the Saints, the NFL sent out a detailed release about why the players were suspended.

Here is the explanation from the league on what each of the four players did to earn the punishment:

Vilma: “The investigation concluded that while a captain of the defensive unit Vilma assisted Coach Williams in establishing and funding the program. Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Vilma offered a specific bounty -- $10,000 in cash – to any player who knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of the 2009 Divisional playoff game and later pledged the same amount to anyone who knocked Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre out of the 2009 NFC Championship Game the following week (played on Jan. 24, 2010). Vilma is eligible to be reinstated after the Super Bowl in 2013.’’

Smith: “Smith, a defensive end, assisted Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in establishing and funding the program during a period in which he was a captain and leader of the defensive unit. Multiple independent sources also confirmed that Smith pledged significant sums to the program pool for 'cart-offs' and 'knockouts' of opposing players.”

Hargrove: “Actively participated in the program while a member of the Saints. Hargrove submitted a signed declaration to the league that established not only the existence of the program at the Saints, but also that he knew about and participated in it. The evidence showed that Hargrove told at least one player on another team that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was a target of a large bounty during the NFC Championship Game in January of 2010. Hargrove also actively obstructed the league’s 2010 investigation into the program by being untruthful to investigators.’’

Fujita: “The record established that Fujita, a linebacker, pledged a significant amount of money to the prohibited pay-for-performance/bounty pool during the 2009 NFL playoffs when he played for the Saints. The pool to which he pledged paid large cash rewards for 'cart-offs' and 'knockouts,' plays during which an opposing player was injured.’’

The league went on to say that all the players are suspended without pay for “detrimental conduct."

“In assessing player discipline,” Goodell said, “I focused on players who were in leadership positions at the Saints; contributed a particularly large sum of money toward the program; specifically contributed to a bounty on an opposing player; demonstrated a clear intent to participate in a program that potentially injured opposing players; sought rewards for doing so; and/or obstructed the 2010 investigation.”

The players can appeal the suspensions, but Goodell already is indicating that a defense saying they were just following the orders of coaches will not fly.

“No bounty program can exist without active player participation,” Goodell said. “The evidence clearly showed that the players being held accountable today willingly and enthusiastically embraced the bounty program. Players put the vast majority of the money into this program and they share responsibility for playing by the rules and protecting each other within those rules.”

At a time when the New Orleans Saints seem to be getting attacked from all angles, they have at least one prominent person defending them.

Retired NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, who was one of four players listed in the NFL report as having a bounty placed upon them for injury, said he didn’t see the Saints do anything wrong in a playoff game with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2009 season. Warner was just interviewed on NFL Network and admitted the game was physical.

“I don’t recall anything in that game over the top or out of the ordinary,’’ Warner said.

Warner said he did have a sense that he might have been a target in some other games during his career, but said that game against the Saints wasn’t one of them.

But Warner did admit he’s been disturbed as more details emerge about the Saints’ bounty program. Warner said the intent to injure opponents is what takes the Saints’ situation beyond a sport that is physical by its nature.

“I think that’s where the whole thing crosses the line,’’ Warner said.

Warner said he understands why NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued such harsh penalties against the Saints. He said Goodell was drawing a clear line for all 32 teams.

“Don’t go beyond that because I think this is where our game, to some degree, has gotten out of hand,’’ Warner said.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Although his franchise quarterback, Cam Newton, was one of four players named as specific targets in the Saints’ bounty program, Carolina coach Ron Rivera doesn’t anticipate further problems with the Panthers and Saints.

“I'd be surprised if there's any retribution, I really would,’’ Rivera said during a breakfast for NFC coaches Wednesday morning at the owners meetings.

The NFL report announcing the Saints’ punishment, listed Newton and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers as well as retired quarterbacks Brett Favre and Kurt Warner as players that specifically were targeted for injury. As NFC South opponents, the Saints and Panthers play each other twice a season.

“When we play them it's not going to be about that,’’ Rivera said. “It's going to be us playing them trying to win our division. And that's what it should be. It should be about the game, and not what happened.’’

That’s a good message, and I’m sure Rivera will share it with his team before playing the Saints next season. Rivera’s a coach that is respected by his players and his words could keep things from getting out of hand on the field. But NFL players are intense competitors and I’m sure at least some of the Panthers will have added motivation against the Saints because they know that team was trying to injure their quarterback.

Rivera also weighed in on another issue related to the Saints’ bounty program. Former New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey was accused by former NFL defensive lineman and current television analyst Warren Sapp of being “the snitch’’ that started the investigation into the bounty program. Shockey, who played for Carolina last season and currently is a free agent, has issued strong denials.

“If you know Jeremy Shockey, you know that's not Jeremy Shockey,’’ Rivera said. “I know there was an insinuation that he had been the guy. But that's not Jeremy's makeup. That's not who Jeremy Shockey is. Jeremy Shockey's a guy that, if there was something going on, that's their business. I would be surprised, I really would. It wouldn't hurt him in my eyes either way because first of all I think Jeremy Shockey's a tremendous person. I think he's also a very good football person -- a football personality who understands this game.’’

The New Orleans Saints’ bounty program has prompted a pretty interesting Twitter war.

On his verified account, former NFL defensive tackle Warren Sapp said that former New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey was “the snitch." On his verified Twitter account, Shockey denies that. But let me caution you that some of the language from Shockey is a little rough.

I’m not saying I think Sapp or Shockey are right or wrong. But I will say I think there’s a misconception about the whole “snitch’’ thing. The league started looking into the bounty program after the Saints beat up Brett Favre and Kurt Warner on their way to winning the Super Bowl after the 2009 season. At the time, it was obvious that something like a bounty program might be going on. Shockey was playing for the Saints at the time.

The league investigated and couldn’t get enough evidence to prove it. The NFL later told the Saints to put a stop to the bounty program.

The league kept on investigating and it’s obvious that some players eventually talked. But I don’t think the whole thing was started by a “snitch."

The announcement of the NFL’s penalties for the New Orleans Saints bounty program contained one item that involves another NFC South team.

The league specifically mentions four players who were targeted with bounties. They were Brett Favre, Kurt Warner, Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton. Favre and Warner are retired, and Rodgers plays in the NFC North.

But Newton plays for the Carolina Panthers. Apparently, the bounty on Newton came in last season’s regular-season finale, when Newton left the game and backup Derek Anderson made one of his two appearances last season.

I’m pretty sure that mention of Newton in the NFL’s report caught some eyes in Carolina. Keep in mind, the Panthers used the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft on Newton. He won the offensive rookie of the year award and is viewed as the franchise quarterback.

The fact he was being targeted for injury by an opponent isn’t going to sit too well with Carolina’s players. They’re not going to forget that.

This is going to add some intensity to the rivalry between the Panthers and Saints.

I just finished reading through the very lengthy and detailed release the NFL sent out to announce the penalties imposed on the New Orleans Saints for their bounty program.

My initial reaction?

The penalties are extremely severe and pretty much unprecedented in the NFL. Head coach Sean Payton has been suspended for a year. General manager Mickey Loomis is suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season, and assistant head coach Joe Vitt will be suspended for the first six games. The Saints also lost second-round draft picks for this year and next year.

But I can’t say I’m surprised or that the penalties are unfair.

This is Roger Goodell’s NFL, and that’s the bottom line in what will go down as one of the biggest scandals in NFL history. In his tenure as commissioner, Goodell has made lots of noise about the importance of player safety. He made his loudest noise ever Wednesday when he handed down the discipline for the Saints (as well as suspending former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely). Maybe a bounty program 20 or 30 years ago wouldn’t have been a big deal. But this isn’t the NFL of 20 or 30 years ago.

It’s obvious that the league wanted to make a statement on this one. The NFL has a very smart and seasoned public relations department. If the commissioner and his top assistants wanted this one to get lost in the shuffle, they had their chance. They could have announced it late last week when the NCAA tournament was cranking up. Or they could have done it Monday or Tuesday when Peyton Manning was dominating the headlines.

But Goodell and the NFL waited until Wednesday, and that puts the Saints firmly on center stage. Goodell’s comments in the release were about as strong as you’ll see from a league that usually goes out of its way to portray everything as rosy.

“Beyond the clear and continuing violations of league rules, and lying to investigators, the bounty program is squarely contrary to the league’s most important initiatives -- enhancing player health and safety and protecting the integrity of the game,” Goodell said. “Let me be clear. There is no place in the NFL for deliberately seeking to injure another player, let alone offering a reward for doing so. Any form of bounty is incompatible with our commitment to create a culture of sportsmanship, fairness and safety. Programs of this kind have no place in our game, and we are determined that bounties will no longer be a part of the NFL.”

Goodell also was sending a strong message to the other 31 teams. But he made an example out of the Saints. That’s mainly because the Saints set themselves up to become an example.

According to the league, Payton and Loomis were aware that a bounty program existed and rewarded defensive players for injuring opponents. The report even details some specific targets of bounties -- Brett Favre, Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, and Kurt Warner. The league says Payton and Loomis did nothing to stop the bounties that went on for three seasons and the coach lied to league investigators and instructed his assistants to do the same.

There’s one particular item in the announcement that gives some in-depth insight into how the Saints were operating.

“Coach Vitt said one of his primary roles was to monitor the activity of Coach Williams,’’ the report says. “This was based on the direction of Coach Payton, who apparently had less than full confidence in Coach Williams. Despite Coach Vitt’s knowledge of the bounty program, his understanding of the terms 'knock-out' and 'cart-off,' his witnessing Coach Williams handing out envelopes that he believed to contain cash, and his acknowledgement that the defensive meeting preceding the 2010 NFC Championship Game may have 'got out of hand' with respect to Brett Favre."

Wow, the league is even peeling off the cover of what wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret around the NFL. Payton hired Williams in 2009 because he needed to make his defense better. It was pretty well known that Payton made the move despite the fact he and Williams weren’t the best of friends. But they coexisted for three seasons and won a Super Bowl in their first year together.

Does the Super Bowl make all this worthwhile?

I’m not so sure. The Saints have a real mess on their hands. You could say Payton should have stayed true to himself and never hired Williams, who the league says was the mastermind of the whole bounty program. But it’s kind of useless to waste time on hindsight.

The Saints have to move forward, and that’s not going to be easy. In addition to the actions already announced, the Saints likely will have multiple defensive players suspended for part of the 2012 season.

Goodell has put the Saints in their place for messing with the integrity of the game. He also has sent a message to them (and to other teams) that he really is the boss.

But the Saints are suddenly left without the guys who’ve been running the show since 2006. Payton’s suspension begins April 1, and Loomis isn’t going to be allowed to be involved with the team until midway through next season. Owner Tom Benson was not implicated for doing anything wrong by the league.

Benson suddenly faces a huge challenge. He’s got to decide if he’s going to fill Payton’s spot with one of the assistants currently on staff or look outside for a head coach. (Where do you find a head coach at this time of year?) Benson also has to decide who’s going to make personnel decisions in Loomis’ absence.

Benson’s reputation in New Orleans has improved quite a bit in recent years. Agreeing to keep the team in New Orleans for the long term and winning a Super Bowl will do that for you. The Saints are more popular and beloved than they’ve ever been.

It’s up to Benson to find a way to keep them there. He can start by making sure quarterback Drew Brees, who saved a city and a franchise once, gets signed to a long-term contract very soon. Brees may have to do it all over again. But it's up to Benson to finish the job by putting good people in the places of Payton and Loomis.

Most importantly, it's up to Benson to make sure his entire organization plays by Goodell’s rules.

Let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information to put the debut of Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton in perspective.

Newton threw for 422 yards in a loss to Arizona. That’s the most passing yards ever -- by far -- for a player in his first NFL game.

The previous record was set in 1950 when Hall of Famer Otto Graham threw for 346 yards. Before Newton only five players had even passed for 300 yards in their debut and one of those was Peyton Manning in 1998.

If you go back as far as 1960, only three players had more passing yards in a season opener and those were Manning, Kurt Warner and Dan Marino, who already were established starters. Those three quarterbacks have combined for seven Associated Press Most Valuable Player awards.

About the only record Newton didn’t set was the Carolina record for passing yards in a game. He missed it by one yard. Chris Weinke threw for 423 yards in a game against the Giants in 2006. The Panthers also lost that game.

Roddy White made headlines this offseason when he said Atlanta’s offense has a chance to become the second coming of the “Greatest Show on Turf."

For the younger members of our audience, that’s a reference to the St. Louis offense back when the Rams had Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and a whole bunch of other guys who could score points in a hurry.

White is a wide receiver and fits the profile perfectly. He’s a guy who likes to talk big and talk a lot. When I sat down with him in the Falcons’ cafeteria in Flowery Branch, Ga., last week, all I had to do was hit the “record’’ button on my tape recorder and let White run the deep routes.

He didn’t back off the “Greatest Show on Turf" talk at all. In fact, he took it and ran with it.

“This offense can be great,’’ White said. “We’re loaded. We are loaded. We already were pretty good and we added the guys we needed to add.’’

White had huge praise for rookie receiver Julio Jones, who is expected to be the other starter.

“He can get down the field and really help us with explosive plays," White said. “There’s nothing wrong with going out there for two or three plays and getting a touchdown. I think a lot of our drives this year are going to end that way.’’

White also had high praise for quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner.

“Matt’s continued to improve each year,’’ White said. “Tony’s obviously very consistent. Mike is Mike. He can run the ball. We know we’re going to get 1,300 or 1,400 rushing yards and double-digit TDs from him. That’s just what’s expected from him and he’s done that. And I can tell you he’s not going to be facing a lot of eight-man boxes this year.’’

White said that’s because the Atlanta offense will be different this year. Virtually everyone in the organization has hinted at that in one way or another. But White, as you might expect, had a little more to say on that than anyone else. He stopped just short of pulling out the playbook and sharing whatever new wrinkles are in it.

“I can tell you this, you’re going to see a lot more downfield throws,’’ White said. “We’re going to try to stretch the field as much as possible. We’re going to try to get big chunks of yardage. We’re going to get some explosive plays and make this thing a whole lot easier.

“From the first day of training camp, I think Matt’s thrown more deep balls than he ever has. We’re working on it. That’s nothing but a good thing.’’

The Saints just sent out an announcement that quarterback Drew Brees has been selected as the 2011 winner of the Bart Starr Award.

Voted on by players around the league, the award is designed to honor a player who exhibits outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.

We all know that Brees has made a huge impact on the New Orleans area since arriving as a free agent in 2006, and his accomplishments on the field speak for themselves. Some past winners of this award are Warrick Dunn, Reggie White, Anthony Munoz and Kurt Warner.

Brees will be given the award Feb. 5 at an event leading up to the Super Bowl.

I’m going to break my rule of leaving for the stadium three hours before kickoff and extend it to four hours. That’s largely because I believe it could be a little tricky getting around downtown Atlanta and the Georgia Dome tonight.

For the record, I’ll be arriving at the Georgia Dome with several colleagues, but I think it’s important for Falcons fans to know that Trent Dilfer will not be with me.

Anyway, I’ll touch base as soon as I get settled into the Georgia Dome. Also, Matt Williamson from Scouts Inc. and I will be taking part in Countdown Daily, an in-game chat with readers and others from ESPN joining in. We’ll post an item on the blog that will take you into Countdown Daily an hour or two before kickoff.

In the meantime, let’s turn to ESPN Stats & Information for a few nuggets to hold you over as we wait for the showdown between the Saints and Falcons.

• Drew Brees, with 391 completions this season, needs nine to reach the 400-mark for the third time as a pro. All other players in NFL history combined have produced just five 400-completion seasons: Warren Moon, Drew Bledsoe, Rich Gannon, Kurt Warner and Peyton Manning have one each.
• The Saints allowed 202 rushing yards to the Falcons on Sept. 26 in an overtime contest in which Atlanta had 50 rushing plays. But last week, the Saints allowed 208 yards to the Ravens on only 39 carries -- an average of 5.3 yards per carry. It was the first time since the 2008 season that New Orleans had let an opponent amass 200 rushing yards and average five yards per carry.
• Garrett Hartley missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime when the Falcons and Saints met on Sept. 26 at New Orleans. Matt Bryant later won the game for Atlanta, 27-24, with a 46-yard field goal, and Hartley spent the next two weeks on the inactive list while 46-year-old John Carney took his spot. It was the NFL's shortest field-goal miss in overtime since an Atlanta-Tampa Bay game in Tampa on Christmas Eve of 2005. In that game, Atlanta's Todd Peterson had a 28-yard overtime attempt blocked and Bryant, then with Tampa Bay, missed from 27 yards on the next possession. Bryant eventually won it for the Buccaneers with a 41-yard field goal.
• Matt Ryan's passer rating in 2010 is 90.5; he could become the first Falcons quarterback to finish a season with a rating of 90 or higher (minimum: eight starts) since Chris Chandler earned a 100.9 rating for the 1998 team that wound up playing in the Super Bowl.
• Everything's working in the Falcons' favor this season: Opposing kickers have made only 13 of 21 field goal attempts against Atlanta; that rate of 62 percent is the lowest against any NFL team. (You have to go back to 2003 to find the last NFL team against which opposing kickers had such a low percentage; that year, the Redskins "held" their opponents to a 61-percent rate.)
• The Falcons have won eight straight, but over the last three games, their opponents have run for 454 yards and have averaged 5.8 yards per carry. The last NFL team to win three straight games despite allowing at least 450 rushing yards and at least 5.8 yards per carry was the Saints in 2006.
• John Abraham joined the 100-sacks club two weeks ago, and with a sack last week at Seattle, he now has 101.5 sacks. His single-game high of four sacks came while playing for the Jets against the Saints back on Nov. 4, 2001, his second season in the league, but he has had only two sacks (including one this year) in eight games against New Orleans since then.

Notable players: LB Derrick Brooks, DT Warren Sapp, S John Lynch, CB Ronde Barber, QB Brad Johnson, WR Keyshawn Johnson, FB Mike Alstott.

Analysis: In the first year of the NFC South’s existence, the Glazer family, which owns the Buccaneers, pulled one of the boldest moves in sports history. The Glazers fired coach Tony Dungy, who was beloved by players and fans and the only coach in franchise history to have any extended success.

They thought they had Bill Parcells lined up as the replacement, but Parcells backed out of the deal. That led to desperate measures as the Glazers overstepped general manager Rich McKay, who wanted to hire Marvin Lewis, and worked out a rare trade for a coach. They shipped four draft picks and $8 million in cash to Oakland for Jon Gruden.

Gruden came in and did what Dungy couldn’t -- he won a Super Bowl. Still relying heavily on a defense built by Dungy and coordinator Monte Kiffin, Gruden was able to infuse a little bit of offense into the Buccaneers.

With Brad Johnson at quarterback and Brooks, Lynch, Sapp and Barber all in their prime on defense, the Bucs were pretty much dominant as they went 12-4 and became the first NFC South champions.

In the irony of all ironies, Gruden wound up facing the Raiders, then coached by Bill Callahan, in the Super Bowl. Although the Raiders had the league’s No. 1 offense, Gruden outdid his former team and the Buccaneers won 48-21.

Most impressive win: A 26-14 victory in Week 3 in which the Bucs intercepted St. Louis quarterback Kurt Warner four times.

Research room: Tampa Bay’s defense held opposing quarterbacks to a 48.4 passer rating for the season.

Honorable mention

1997: This was not the best Tampa Bay team ever, but it might have been the most important in franchise history. In Dungy’s second season, the Bucs went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1982. That raised expectations and changed the entire football climate in Tampa Bay.

1979: The Bucs were formed in 1976 under some harsh expansion rules and lost their first 26 games. But with Doug Williams and Lee Roy Selmon leading the way, John McKay took this team to the NFC Championship Game in only its fourth season.

1999: This might have been the Tampa Bay defense at its absolute best. With rookie quarterback Shaun King, the Bucs still managed to go 11-5. The Bucs lost the NFC Championship Game, 11-6, to St. Louis in a game that involved a controversial non-catch by receiver Bert Emanuel.

Adam in Chapel Hill, N.C., writes: Purely a hypothetical, but say Matt Moore comes in and within the Panthers system sets the proverbial world on fire. How much of a wrench would this throw in the works? How would talent scouts have to readjust/reassess QB evaluation?

Pat Yasinskas: If Moore does play well, I don’t think it will change the scouting process. Remember, guys like Kurt Warner, Jake Delhomme and Tony Romo have come essentially out of “nowhere’’ to have good careers. Even Tom Brady was a late-round draft pick. It is kind of amazing that teams put so much money and effort into scouting and they seem to miss on a lot of prospects. I guess it just shows scouting is an inexact science and the human element, things like heart and intangibles, can really throw it off.

---

Zach in Atlanta writes: I'm not sure it counts, but TECHNICALLY the "greatest player in NFC South" history would be Brett Favre with the Falcons in the early 90s, if like most of your exercises we go beyond 2002. He didn't play long, obviously. Nevertheless, he suited up for Atlanta, making him the greatest player to pass through all of the NFC South teams.

Pat Yasinskas: Well, if you want to go that route, how about Reggie White? He played one season with Carolina. Or Anthony Munoz? He took part in a Tampa Bay training camp before deciding to retire. I suggest we stay clear of that route because it’s pointless. When I think of the greatest player in the history of the NFC South, I think of Derrick Brooks.

---

Kyle in Tampa writes: I just wanted to share a thought. I saw in the chat where you said that, after a "few more years" Drew Brees could replace Derrick Brooks as the best player in NFC South history. Brooks is almost inarguably a top 10 linebacker of all time, potentially even a top 5-er. As of now, and even after a few more years, Brees would have to fight hard to even make the top 20 of his position. My Bucs don't have too much going for us in the history department, but best player all time is ours by a landslide, at least for now.

Pat Yasinskas: For right now, Brooks is the best player in NFC South history, in my eyes. But I think Brees could surpass him with a few more big years and another Super Bowl title or two.

---

Kenneth in Boston writes: If there is another exciting, noteworthy season from Gregg Williams with the Saints defense, do you see a possibility of the Saints losing him to another team in search of a head coach willing to pay Williams?

Pat Yasinskas: Yes, absolutely. Williams’ stock had tumbled a bit before he joined the Saints. What he did with the New Orleans defense last year reminded a lot of people of what Williams is capable of accomplishing. I say another strong season by the New Orleans defense probably will get Williams a head-coaching job.

---

Jake in Pittsburgh writes: What are the Bucs thinking? Stylez White, Tim Crowder, Kyle Moore, and Erik Lorig at defensive end? I know they drafted Gerald McCoy and Brian Price, but how can the Bucs possibly rush the QB?

Pat Yasinskas: That’s a very legitimate question. White’s at least an average player. But there’s nothing certain beyond that and I’m not sure Moore and Lorig have all that much upside. The Bucs do think the presence of McCoy and Price in the middle will help the guys on the outside and there’s probably some truth to that. But Tampa Bay doesn’t have anything close to a dominant pass-rusher. Then again, that’s not uncommon in the NFC South. Carolina doesn’t have a proven pass-rusher. Atlanta’s hoping John Abraham can bounce back from a quiet season. New Orleans’ Will Smith is the best pass-rusher in the division at the moment.