Dec 22nd 2008 3:38PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, Packers, Ravens, Steelers
There was a controversy in the NFL this season when Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs suggested that his team had a bounty out on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, and then backed off those comments. But anyone who thinks bounties aren’t a part of life in the NFL should talk to Jim McMahon.

Best known for winning a Super Bowl with the 1985 Bears, McMahon was once injured by a player on the Packers, Charles Martin, who openly talked about having a bounty on McMahon and other players on the Bears. And at an ESPN-sponsored event today to promote tonight’s Bears-Packers game, McMahon said bounties are an everyday part of pro football.

Asked if he knew about bounties in the NFL, McMahon said, “Every week.” He added, “I played for seven different teams. There are bounties out every week on everybody.”

That’s certainly not the image NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell likes to project of his league. So the question becomes: Has the NFL changed significantly since McMahon retired? Or do teams just do a good job of keeping their bounties quiet?