The NFL players implicated in the New Orleans Saints "bounty" scandal have repeatedly asked for evidence that a bounty program was in place. Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated that evidence will eventually come out.
On Friday afternoon, it apparently arrived, via Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports.
Citing two sources with knowledge of the situation, Cole reported that the league has a copy of a "ledger" that recorded detailed weekly earnings for players in the bounty program. The week-by-week tally included "cart-offs" and "whacks." It deducted points for "mental errors."
A player reportedly earned $1,000 for hits that resulted in an opponent being helped off the field. (A "cart-off.") Players earned $400 for "whacks." One opponent that was carted off wound up on injured reserve and had an exclamation point put next to his name.
This is potentially a devastating blow for the players' case as they appeal their suspensions. It puts a concrete number on what an injury was worth. The intent was to take players out of a game, and successfully accomplishing that goal was worth $1,000.
"The players knew what their actions were for," a source told Cole.
UPDATE: Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation later told NFL.com's Steve Wyche that the league does, in fact, possess written documentation of the Saints' program. The sources told Wyche that the documentation was kept by a coach or former coach.
