When All-Pro receiver Cris Carter played for the Minnesota Vikings he often paid “bounties” to his offensive line to protect him from players he thought might cause him harm during his 16-year NFL career.
Carter appeared on the “Hill and Schlereth” show on ESPN Radio on Wednesday where he proclaimed:
“I’m guilty of (bounties) — I mean, first time I’ve ever admitted it — but I put a bounty on guys before. I put bounties on guys. If a guy tries to take me out, a guy takes a cheap shot on me? I put a bounty on him right now!”
Carter said the bounties “absolutely” carried financial incentives for his fellow players.
Cris however took a very different approach from the New Orleans Saints and their “pay for pain” program in that he didn’t want to injure other players but rather have them stopped so they didn’t injure him.
As Carter explains it:
“The difference is people going out of their way to hurt a player, hitting a spot that we as players know is off limits, like his knees. You’re not telling them to go out and get someone, you’re telling them to protect you, run down the field to protect their skill guys.”
Carter gives the example of former Denver Broncos Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Romanowski threatening to hurt him in pregame warm-ups.
“Bill Romanowski — he told me he was going to take me out before the game, warm-ups. No problem. (He said,) ‘I’m gonna end your career, Carter.’ No problem.
“I put a little change on his head before the game. Protect myself. Protect my family. That’s the league that I grew up in,” Carter said.
So there you have it the New Orleans Saints took something that was based on protection in the NFL for years and turned it into a “bounty” program meant to end the careers of fellow players.
