EXCLUSIVE: Rael Enteen, former VP of Content for the Washington Commanders, claims that “Bountygate” was a cover-up for a major opioid theft scandal involving Sean Payton and Saints coaches.
Enteen says the National Football League (NFL) used Bountygate to distract from the real issue—painkiller theft from the team doctor—and that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell may have worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to suppress the scandal.
In part 2 of the NFL series, O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) uncovers allegations against former New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, and how the NFL may have covered up a major opioid theft scandal by using the infamous “Bountygate” controversy as a diversion. These revelations come from Rael Enteen, former Vice President of Content for the Washington Commanders, during an undercover date with an OMG journalist.
Rael Enteen claims that Sean Payton and other members of the Saints coaching staff were caught stealing painkillers from the team’s doctor.
According to Enteen, the NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell, chose to promote the “Bountygate” scandal—a story about players being paid to injure opponents—as a distraction to cover up the opioid theft scandal. “They got caught stealing painkillers, which was a way bigger deal and would have been a huge PR hit, even bigger than the bounty idea,” says Enteen during the recorded conversation.
According to Enteen, the FBI became aware of the opioid theft and took action by installing a hidden camera inside the safe where the painkillers were stored. The camera reportedly caught Payton and other Saints coaches in the act, providing undeniable evidence of their involvement in the crime.
“[The FBI] put a camera in the back of the safe where they kept the painkiller [pills] and caught them red-handed,” says Enteen, who explains that Bobby Monica, a former Miami Dolphins equipment manager and Payton’s mentor, possessed one of the few remaining copies of the incriminating tape. Enteen also notes that Monica “left a copy of the videotape in his will” for Payton.
Enteen also suggested that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell may have worked with the FBI to suppress the story, opting to let “Bountygate” take center stage in the media. “The NFL knew as bad as Bountygate was, it would be better than the alternative,” Enteen claims.
He adds that Goodell’s decision was motivated by the potential damage the opioid scandal could do to the NFL’s brand. According to Enteen, the primary concern was to “protect the shield”—the NFL’s iconic logo and reputation.
For those unfamiliar, “Bountygate” refers to the scandal that emerged in 2012, where New Orleans Saints players were allegedly offered cash incentives, or “bounties,” for injuring opposing players.
Sean Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season, becoming the first head coach in NFL history to receive such a punishment.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was suspended indefinitely for his role in orchestrating the program, and other staff and players faced various penalties.
At the time, the NFL presented the scandal as one of the league’s most severe violations of its rules. Yet, Enteen’s claims raise a possibility: that “Bountygate” was potentially a carefully orchestrated PR strategy designed to divert attention from something much worse.
The NFL has not yet responded to OMG’s multiple requests for comment regarding Enteen’s claims. Similarly, Sean Payton, the Denver Broncos, and the New Orleans Saints have neglected to respond.
