Senator satisfied with NFL's response to bounty scandal

Thank goodness for all of us Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin is satisfied with the NFL’s response to the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.

Durbin, a Democrat and the assistant majority leader, said he will no longer need a congressional hearing on the matter, according to the Washington Post. We can all be relieved the government will not waste time – or resources – on something that isn’t quite as pressing of an issue as say the economy.

Durbin appeared at the Capitol with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, according to the Washington Post, and said he has also had discussions with NCAA representatives to ensure bounties are not a part of the college game.

“If there is any report of a bounty, we will take that seriously,” Goodell said, per the report. “We have been very clear that there were pay-for-performance programs in other teams. We have not seen any of them where they have engaged in a program that would actually target players for injury or reward players for injuring another player. That was our major focus. But we abolished, as of this spring, all performance payments and all bounties.”

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune