Packers Playing Dirty? Bounties for Taking Out Players Like Adrian? League looking into report of Packers players' 'bounty' offers

Why does this not surprise me? Those dirty bastards in Green Bay took a shot at Adrian's knee last week, and the fans in the stands near me were cheering, hooting and hollering UNTIL... we could all hear AP screaming in pain, writhing on the field. It got quiet with guilt. Packers players started signalling for Vikings trainers to come out immediatley and the mini-party on the Packers bench subdued. Fans near me sat down, and was able to finally see the NFL's best new rookie laying on the Lambeau field. I was sick to my stomach. Now I see the following posted on ESPN.com's automated news wire and want to puke:

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- NFL officials are investigating whether Green Bay Packers players offered payments to teammates for achieving specific defensive goals.

League rules prohibit teams and players "from offering or accepting bonuses to a player for his or his team's performance against a particular team, a particular opposing player or players, or a particular group of an opposing team."

League spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the investigation Monday.

ESPN reported that Packers defensive backs offered to pay the team's defensive linemen $500 each if there were able to hold Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson under 100 yards rushing two weeks ago, and another $500 for holding Carolina to under 60 yards rushing as a team on Sunday.

Peterson was held to 45 yards rushing before he left the Vikings' Nov. 11 loss to the Packers with an injury. But the Panthers rushed for 131 yards in Sunday's loss to Green Bay.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Monday morning he was not aware of the situation, but had not yet spoken to general manager Ted Thompson.
IMAGINE THAT.
"I have no knowledge of that," McCarthy said. "I have not been made aware of that. I haven't talked to Ted today, so if it's something that happened this morning, we have not spoken."

Packers players were not available to the media on Monday after their 31-17 victory over Carolina.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index