Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress is denying the Vikings had a bounty program in 2008.
Former Vikings offensive lineman Artis Hicks told author Jeff Pealman, during an interview for a biography about Brett Favre, the Vikings had a bounty program similar to one the New Orleans Saints had in 2009.
The program landed Saints coach Sean Payton and Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and others suspensions from the league after the 2009 season.
“I had a great opportunity to coach a lot of great people there, including Artis Hicks, at the Minnesota Vikings,” Childress told ESPN. “I have too much respect for the Wilf family [and] professional football to have anything to do with a bounty system. I’m going to let it stand at that.”
Childress is currently working as the co-offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Some of his former players stood by their former coach, including former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber.
To refute the rumor, I never heard of any bounty program existing within #Vikings locker room. We had incentives for big plays, not injuries
— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) October 26, 2016
Vikings defensive end Brian Robison, who was on the team at that time, also denied reports of a bounty program.
According Pro Football Talk, there has been no word from the NFL if the league plans to look into Hicks’ comments.
