Packers backpedal on 'bounty' bonuses

A running back can give each of his offensive linemen a nice wristwatch at the end of the season to reward them for their blocking. Dan Marino can make commercials about giving his offensive linemen gloves to get on their good side.

So what's wrong with defensive players offering financial incentives to teammates for achieving specific defensive goals?

That was the question of the day Tuesday in Green Bay, where Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Al Harris were backpedaling as if it was game day after their apparent willingness to pay teammates for their play attracted scrutiny from NFL officials.

"I don't see anything wrong with it, but obviously the league has a policy and they're enforcing it," Woodson said. "That's all I can say about it."

Woodson said he honestly didn't know such payments were against the rules, because he'd heard that other teams did it.

Woodson also wanted to make it clear the Packers weren't offering "bounties" in the traditional sense -- they didn't want anybody to get hurt.

"I didn't know the league had a strict policy on it as far as what you can do," Woodson said. "But I know one thing about our team: Nobody went out there trying to hurt anybody, even if there was some sort of bounty. We're not those type of players. So we're not worried about that at all."

Harris was more evasive, insisting he hadn't heard anything about it.

"You guys are calling me a liar," he said. "I'm appalled."

Harris then began answering additional questions about bounties by talking about Thursday's opponent, the Detroit Lions.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed Monday that league officials are investigating whether Packers players offered such payments to teammates.

League rules prohibit teams and players "from offering or accepting bonuses to a player for his or his team's performance against a particular team, a particular opposing player or players, or a particular group of an opposing team."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the issue was a "miscommunication" and took the blame, along with general manager Ted Thompson.

"That's Ted's and my responsibility," McCarthy said. "I don't think the players thought that they were doing anything wrong."

Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett and several other players declined comment.

"It's not a distraction," Pickett said. "We're just not talking about it."

ESPN reported that Packers players offered to pay the team's defensive linemen $500 each if they were able to hold Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson under 100 yards rushing two weeks ago. They offered another $500 for holding Carolina to under 60 yards rushing as a team Sunday.

Woodson and Harris had an unlikely ally Tuesday: Lions quarterback Jon Kitna, who will face the Packers' defense Thursday and didn't seem to think it was a big deal.

"I don't know if it is against the rules. If it is, it shouldn't be," Kitna said. "They're not paying people to go out and hurt somebody. They're just paying people to do their job."

Meanwhile, now that the Green Bay Packers are winning, might Brett Favre again put off retirement and return to play next season?

Favre hasn't said that himself, preferring to delay his now-annual retirement saga until after the season. But in a conference call with Detroit reporters Tuesday, he at least hinted that the Packers' successful season makes him more likely to return next year.

"If last season gave me hope, if I felt optimistic after our Chicago game last year at 8-8 and not making the playoffs, sure, I obviously have to feel a little bit better -- especially individually," Favre said.

Still, Favre made it clear that nothing is assured.

"If the season was over today, I could look in a mirror and say, 'You can play. You don't have to say I think I can. You know you can,' " Favre said. "Now, with each year -- and it'd be 18 years -- there's a lot of factors that go into decision-making now that I never thought I'd have to make at five years.

"Never thought I would be playing at 17 years, or would be dealing with some of the things I have to deal with. We have a daughter in college, we have one in the third grade, and physically, for the most part, I feel fine.

"I don't do some of the things I used to do quite as well. And I have to envision next year that would be a little bit worse."