NFL names former Giants Jimmy Kennedy as Bounty Gate snitch

People really get sensitive over the word snitch and former Vikings/Giants lineman Jimmy Kennedy is one of those people.

The Bounty Gate scandal is the tale that never ends and now according to USA Today, Kennedy served as a league informant that helped break this thing wide open.

So much so that Kennedy was named by the league in a memo that was circulated to all 32 teams. An excerpt is below and the document can be downloaded here.

“This matter initially came to our attention during the playoffs following the 2009 season. Brad Childress, then Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings, informed us that he believed that Saints players had placed a bounty on Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. In subsequent discussions, Coach Childress said that a Vikings player, Jimmy Kennedy, had told him that the Saints defensive unit had offered a $10,000 bounty on Mr. Favre and that Mr. Kennedy had identified Anthony Hargrove, then a defensive player for the Saints, as the source of his information,” the NFL stated in a memo to teams Tuesday.

“During the NFC Championship game between the Saints and the Vikings there were an unusual number of penalties for unnecessary roughness due to hits on Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, and fines of $30,000 were subsequently imposed on Saints players.”

In his own defense Kennedy took to  Twitter to defend himself.

Jimmy GRIZZ Kennedy ‏@Kennedy73

I NEVER TOLD ANYONE ABOUT A BOUNTY PROGRAM THAT I DIDNT/WOULDNT KNOW OF. I NEVER TALKED TO HARGROVE OR ANY SAINTS PLAYER ABOUT THE PROGRAM

It bothers me that the respect of my Peers & Coaches is in Jeopardy because of this. So for the last time, I NEVER INTERVIEWED WITH THE NFL!

Let’s say for the sake of argument that Kennedy is the person that blew this thing open, the league is wrong for throwing this man under the bus.

I get it that they are under pressure to show and prove their evidence but Kennedy’s respect level is sinking to an all-time low.

If tapes of any kind exist somewhere, they will surface soon enough effectively deep-sixing this man’s ability to be trusted by the brotherhood of NFL players.

It’s not about the ins and outs of the Bounty Gate issue here. It’s about a man running and telling on other men.

Kennedy last suited up as a member of the New York Giants. He is presumably waiting on a call to find a spot elsewhere. How do you think his chances fare now?

Kennedy’s former coach in Minnesota Brad Childress who is now in Cleveland was asked to respond to the situation. He certainly did Kennedy no favors.

“I just look at it in the rear view mirror,” Childress said. “I don’t even know what Jimmy is doing right now. Is he on a team somewhere? I know he was on the Giants last year. Once again I really haven’t been following it.”

But the rest of the world has.