From Minneapolis’s KARE11.com (link swiped from 100% Injury Rate) :
NFL officials are investigating whether Green Bay Packers players offered payments to teammates for achieving specific defensive goals.
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.”
League spokesman Greg Aiello confirmed the investigation Monday.
ESPN reported that Packers defensive backs offered to pay the team’s defensive linemen $500 each if they were able to hold Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson (above) under 100 yards rushing two weeks ago, and another $500 for holding Carolina to under 60 yards rushing as a team on Sunday.
Peterson was held to 45 yards rushing before he left the Vikings’ Nov. 11 loss to the Packers with an injury. But the Panthers rushed for 131 yards in Sunday’s loss to Green Bay.
There’s no truth to the rumor, by the way, John Kitna has urged the league to investigate claims the New York Giants are paid a weekly salary to score more points than their opposition.