Former NFL cornerback Fred Smoot played two seasons under Gregg Williams in Washington, when Williams was the Redskins’ assistant head coach/defense. Williams has come under fire for a bounty scandal that allegedly extended back as far as his time in D.C.
But Smoot has Williams’ back.
“We started a pot as a defensive backfield of who could get the most forced fumbles, who could get the most interceptions,” Smoot explained to 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. “It was never a bounty. ... Gregg never put in a dime. Gregg never came in and said do this, or do that. We did that ourselves as a way to kind of pump each other up to go make more plays.”
The Redskins’ under-the-table monetary system, as explained by Smoot, still violated NFL rules. Smoot simply says there was never an intention of injuring opponents.
“He never coached dirty football,” said Smoot. "... I never saw anyone paid for knocking someone out of the game. Did we, as players, put in pots to make plays, what we called ‘big splash plays?’ We did that. Players.”