Report: Gregg Williams, Joe Vitt told Anthony Hargrove to deny bounty program existed

Hargrove said that Joe Vitt made sure to remind him who brought Hargrove into the league. (US Presswire)

According to a report by Yahoo Sports' Jason Cole, former Saints defensive end Anthony Hargrove wrote in his declaration to the NFL that former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and current interim coach Joe Vitt told Hargrove to lie about the existence of a bounty program.

"Those [mother------- at the NFL] have been trying to get me for years,” Williams apparently told Hargrove during a February 2010 meeting.

Williams also said that if the team stays "on the same page, this will blow over."

The NFL, which slapped Hargrove with an eight-game suspension (which he is now appealing), said Hargrove participated in the bounty program and lied about it to NFL investigators. According to the document, Hargrove met with investigators in March 2010 and denied the existence of the program.

The signed declaration is some of the only evidence the NFL has provided to justify suspending Jonathan Vilma for a year, Hargrove for eight games, defensive end Will Smith for four and linebacker Scott Fujita for three.

"I don't know what the union was thinking when it provided the declaration," a source told Cole.

During the conversation between Williams and Hargrove -- now with the Packers -- Hargrove said he and Williams had a meetnig in February 2010, and at first, the conversation was about how Williams would move Hargrove to a starting defensive end position in 2011. But when Vitt joined the conversation, the bounty program topic was broached.

Aside from asking him to lie, Hargrove wrote that Williams also said, “some people thought that [Hargrove] had told Vikings player Jimmy Kennedy about the existence of a 'bounty' on Brett Favre.” Vitt also apparently reminded Hargrove that Vitt “was the person who brought [Hargrove] into the league.”

Later, after he was interviewed, Williams asked Hargrove if he stuck to the script. Hargrove said he had, denying the existence of a bounty program.

If you desire, you can read the entire Hargrove declaration right here.

For more NFL news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnNFL on Twitter, and subscribe to our Pick-6 Podcast and NFL newsletter. You can follow Josh Katzowitz on Twitter here: @joshkatzowitz.