Report: Gregg Williams urged big hits on 49ers, including concussed player

(CBS/AP) Saints head coach Sean Payton, assistant Joe Vitt and GM Mickey Loomis are in New York today having their appeals hearing for punishment connected to the team's bounty system. Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is conspicuously absent. Newly released audio may explain why.

A new recording purports to capture Williams telling players to "put a lick" on San Francisco's Kyle Williams to see if the receiver has lingering effects from an earlier concussion.

"We need to find out in the first two series of the game, the little wide receiver, No. 10, about his concussion," Williams apparently says on the tape. "We need to [expletive] put a lick on him, move him to decide. He needs to decide."

NFLPA: Bounty players could face criminal charges

Filmmaker Sean Pamphilon, who had access to Saints meetings for a documentary on football, has posted the audio on his web site. Pamphilon shared the content with Yahoo Sports' Michael Silver, telling Silver that while he was not bothered by much of Williams' profanity-laced speech, he was troubled by comments about the previously concussed player.

In the recording from a meeting before the Saints played the 49ers in a playoff game in January, Williams urges players to beat running back Frank Gore's head, "lay out" quarterback Alex Smith and go after receiver Michael Crabtree's knee.

"At one point Williams says, 'We hit [expletive] Smith right there' - then he points under his chin [and continues] - 'remember me.' Then he rubs his thumb against his index and middle fingers - the cash sign - and says, 'I got the first one. I got the first one. Go get it. Go lay that [expletive] out,'" Pamphilon told Silver.

Williams also told his players, "Kill the head, the body will die" - one of the coach's trademark mantras, according to current and former Saints defensive players.

Williams hasn't decided on whether or not he plans to appeal his indefinite suspension - but given the mounting evidence against him, that seems unlikely.