General Managers only have so many people above them in the NFL hierarchy. A team owner is one. The league office is another entity G.M.'s shouldn’t mess with.
According to a report from Don Banks of SI.com, Saints G.M. Mickey Loomis got caught lying to both Saints owner Tom Benson and those conducting the NFL’s internal investigation of the Saints’ bounty program.
Loomis reportedly was asked about the Saints’ bounties in 2010 and denied knowing anything about it. He then ignored Benson’s orders to discontinue to program if it existed.
“When informed earlier this year of the new information, Mr. Benson advised league staff that he had directed his general manager, Mickey Loomis, to ensure that any bounty program be discontinued immediately. The evidence shows that Mr. Loomis did not carry out Mr. Benson’s direction,” the league’s internal report reads, via Banks.
“Similarly, when the initial allegations where discussed with Mr. Loomis in 2010, he denied any knowledge of a bounty program and pledged that he would ensure that no such program was in place. There is no evidence that Mr. Loomis took any effective action to stop these practices.”
I’m no Florio, but I’ve watched enough legal dramas to know it’s usually the cover up, not the crime, that creates the most problems. Loomis did his best to cover up the situation. (He did not do a very good or great job at it.) He fell on the sword for his coaching staff. Both Loomis and coach Sean Payton could pay a steep price.
It’s been a rough week for Loomis. If nothing else, no one is thinking about Drew Brees’ contract situation right now.
Well, except for Loomis.