Filmmaker identifies Saints whistleblower, league has no comment

A filmmaker and author named names in the Saints bounty scandal. The NFL had no comment. (Getty Images)

During a Tuesday appearance on America's Radio News Network, filmmaker and author Alan Donnes said that former Saints defensive quality control coach Mike Cerullo was a whistleblower in the bounty scandal that led to wide-ranging sanctions for the Saints, according to CBSSports.com Rapid Reporter Larry Holder.

"Donnes described Cerullo as a disgruntled former employee who couldn't find work after being let go after the 2009 season," Holder wrote Tuesday afternoon. "Donnes said Cerullo believed Sean Payton and Gregg Williams blocked Cerullo from getting a job in the NFL. Cerullo is currently a football program aide at Connecticut. When contacted by CBSSports.com on March 9 concerning Bountygate, Cerullo said he had no comment."

Saints Bounty Scandal

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More from Holder: "The NFL had no comment Tuesday evening on comments made by filmmaker/author Alan Donnes on America's Radio News Network that former Saints quality control coach Mike Cerullo was a whistleblower for the Saints bounty scandal. "As we have stated, our information was corroborated by multiple independent sources," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to CBSSports.com."

On March 21, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Saints head coach Sean Payton for one year, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely, assistant Joe Vitt for six games, general manager Mickey Loomis for eight games, and fined the organization $500,000 and took away their 2012 and 2013 second-rounders (although there's a slim chance they could recoup the '13 pick).

Everyone but Williams' appealed the ruling but to no avail; Goodell upheld the suspensions, which certainly weren't helped by the release of a damning audio recording of Williams encouraging his players to injure members of the 49ers prior to a January playoff game.

Three weeks ago, NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp, claimed that former New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey was the "snitch" that outed the Saints. Shockey promptly denied the accusation and called for NFL Network to punish Sapp.

CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman spoke with people familiar with the NFL's investigation and was told Shockey had nothing to do with the case. "Nothing. At all."

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