This week you may have been shocked to learn that millionaires engaged in a multibillion dollar industry based on controlled violence were involved with a system of monetary incentives, or "bounties," to make big plays. While some players sounded surprised, former Jets defensive end Trevor Pryce didn't see an issue. “It’s pretty much standard operating procedure,” Pryce told the Times. "I know dudes who doubled their salary from it. Trust me, it happens in some form in any locker room."
Jets linebacker Bart Scott agrees. “Knocking someone out doesn’t mean you’re doing something dirty," he says, adding that a blatant attempt to injure someone would be obvious on film. Neither player specifically says whether or not the Jets utilized the bounty system, but their comments, along with others, allude to the practice being widespread.
"If you hit someone legally, and they can’t play as well, or at all, that’s what you want. That’s what being physical is all about,” Scott says.
Indeed, that's what the NFL encourages—blistering, clean hits. It's what makes the spot the most popular and profitable in the country (and also gives players serious trauma to their heads). “Nothing will change, man," Scott says. "They can get rid of every defensive coordinator, every defensive coach, in the league. It’s still football."
