Cover Description

[The following text appears on the cover.]

$1,000 FOR A CART-OFF ... $1,500 FOR A KNOCKOUT...

SPECIAL REPORT

BOUNTY CULTURE

THE SAINTS' PAY-TO-INJURE PROGRAM RATTLES THE NFL

BY PETER KING

P. 34

THE CONSCIENCE OF THE LOCKER ROOM

BY JIM TROTTER

P. 36

THE LANGUAGE OF INTIMIDATION

BY TIM LAYDEN

P. 41

COMMISSIONER GOODELL'S CRACKDOWN

P. 38

New Orleans linebacker Jonathan Vilma, one target of the NFL's investigation

"AT TIMES, PLAYERS BOTH PLEDGED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS AND TARGETED PARTICULAR [OPPONENTS]. FOR EXAMPLE, PRIOR TO A SAINTS PLAYOFF GAME IN JANUARY 2010, DEFENSIVE CAPTAIN JONATHAN VILMA OFFERED $10,000 IN CASH TO ANY PLAYER WHO KNOCKED [BRETT] FAVRE OUT OF THE GAME."

—NFL MEMO TO ITS 32 TEAMS MARCH 2, 2012

PHOTO

ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL FRAKES