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From FOX Sports
Gregg Williams is technically St. Louis Rams linebacker Brady Poppinga's defensive coordinator for at least a few more days. This didn't keep Poppinga from ripping Williams for orchestrating a bounty program while with the New Orleans Saints. Poppinga feels that strongly about a system the seven-year NFL veteran described as "degrading," "animalistic" and "repulsive" during a Thursday interview with FOXSports.com.
"I just can't sit there and be silent," Poppinga said. "I look at this as an opportunity to share with the public that we, as football players, are not barbaric and out to try and destroy everything in our path. Football is my profession and I take it seriously. It's an art form. It's technical, strategic and takes a lot of intelligence to play.
"When this came out, it started to confirm the idea that football guys are idiots. That's not who we are. Ninety-five percent of the guys are very intelligent. It's just guys who love to go out and play a physical game."
Poppinga admits to having knowledge about under-the-table incentive programs on other NFL defenses. But, in his view, what the Saints did — offering financial rewards for such things as damaging blows and opponent removal on a cart — went way too far.
"I've heard of other situations where there wasn't a bounty for hurting a guy, but guys throwing in $500 to all of the defense if they held a guy like (Minnesota running back) Adrian Peterson to less than 100 yards," said Poppinga, who played with Green Bay from 2005 to '10. "But it was nothing like where there was actual programming for that and you talk about (injuring opponents)."
Poppinga said fellow linebacker James Laurinaitis is the only teammate he has spoken with about Williams. (Laurinaitis "knows the (bounty system) is pretty dumb," Poppinga said.) As a pending free agent, Poppinga knows speaking out against Williams — who was new Rams head coach Jeff Fisher's handpicked coordinator — likely lessens his chances of re-signing.
He doesn't care.
"If they're not going to want me on the team because of that, that's fine," said Poppinga, who had 51 tackles and one forced fumble in 12 starts last season.
"It is what it is."
Gregg Williams is technically St. Louis Rams linebacker Brady Poppinga's defensive coordinator for at least a few more days. This didn't keep Poppinga from ripping Williams for orchestrating a bounty program while with the New Orleans Saints. Poppinga feels that strongly about a system the seven-year NFL veteran described as "degrading," "animalistic" and "repulsive" during a Thursday interview with FOXSports.com.
"I just can't sit there and be silent," Poppinga said. "I look at this as an opportunity to share with the public that we, as football players, are not barbaric and out to try and destroy everything in our path. Football is my profession and I take it seriously. It's an art form. It's technical, strategic and takes a lot of intelligence to play.
"When this came out, it started to confirm the idea that football guys are idiots. That's not who we are. Ninety-five percent of the guys are very intelligent. It's just guys who love to go out and play a physical game."
Poppinga admits to having knowledge about under-the-table incentive programs on other NFL defenses. But, in his view, what the Saints did — offering financial rewards for such things as damaging blows and opponent removal on a cart — went way too far.
"I've heard of other situations where there wasn't a bounty for hurting a guy, but guys throwing in $500 to all of the defense if they held a guy like (Minnesota running back) Adrian Peterson to less than 100 yards," said Poppinga, who played with Green Bay from 2005 to '10. "But it was nothing like where there was actual programming for that and you talk about (injuring opponents)."
Poppinga said fellow linebacker James Laurinaitis is the only teammate he has spoken with about Williams. (Laurinaitis "knows the (bounty system) is pretty dumb," Poppinga said.) As a pending free agent, Poppinga knows speaking out against Williams — who was new Rams head coach Jeff Fisher's handpicked coordinator — likely lessens his chances of re-signing.
He doesn't care.
"If they're not going to want me on the team because of that, that's fine," said Poppinga, who had 51 tackles and one forced fumble in 12 starts last season.
"It is what it is."
