Saints' Payton: NFL was unprepared for PI replay

Payton told 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore on Thursday that no one should be
surprised pass interference reviews are being scrapped one season into the
failed experiment.

"I think the theory behind what the league voted on certainly had a chance to
be successful. But quite honestly we weren't ready in New York to handle it,"
Payton said. "And I know that sounds critical, but that's just a fact. The
consistency and the ability to take in the calls and at least come up with a
fairly level basis of what we're gonna interpret that call on. And if we're
not ready there, then we shouldn't have it. And I think that's the feeling
that all of us have right now, including myself."

Only 13 of the 81 pass interference reviews were overturned, including several
calls that matched the fundamental rulebook definition of pass interference.

Payton served a seasonlong suspension for the "Bountygate" scandal when
commissioner Roger Goodell ruled Saints players earned financial rewards for
hits that resulted in injuries.

He was enflamed Thursday when told Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin might have
paid a fine for linebacker James Harrison's helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns
wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi in 2010. Harrison made the revelation
Thursday.

"That'll be something that's tucked away or under the rug at Park Avenue,"
Payton said, referring to the NFL league office. "They'll look into it
briefly. Listen, don't get me started on that. I lost $6 million in salary.
And honestly it was something that I'll never truly get over because I know
how it was handled and how it was run and the reasons behind it. And that's
just the truth."

--Field Level Media