Says he thought it was appropriate to ask the commissioner to allow suspended Saints officials to attend San Diego game
In a round of media appearances Thursday, Drew Brees criticized the NFL's bounty probe and responded to criticism from Terry Bradshaw over Brees' request to allow Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis and Joe Vitt to attend last Sunday's game against the Chargers.
Bradshaw said recently that he thought it was inappropriate for Brees to ask the NFL Commissioner to allow the three suspended officials to be in the Superdome as he tried to set a new NFL record for throwing at least one touchdown in 48 consecutive games.
In an interview with the NFL Network, said he was justified in making the request.
"Those are all the guys that brought me to New Orleans, brought all of us to New Orleans to help build the foundation of what we've been able to create there. I thought it was very appropriate that they were there."
In another interview with ESPN, Brees reiterated his belief that the NFL's bounty investigation was a "sham."
He said it appears to him that the penalties imposed by Commissioner Roger Goodell were handed down based on "speculation and rhetoric."
