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In 2012, the New Orleans Saints found themselves on the wrong end of the league office’s agenda. And coach Sean Payton was suspended for a full season because of it.
Payton’s situation has been mentioned a time or two this week, because he lost a year despite having no knowledge about the activities of former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams but being told ignorance is no excuse. That same standard didn’t apply to Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who received no sanction for not knowing about the football-deflation scheme that independent investigator/special prosecutor Ted Wells believes existed.