Cesar Tordesillas

Nashville, TN

Former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has joined the Tennessee Titans coaching staff as senior assistant/defense shortly after the NFL reinstated him from indefinite suspension for his role in the Bountygate scandal.

Williams started his NFL career with the Titans and coached them for 11 seasons from 1990-2000, including four years as defensive coordinator.

"I have known Gregg for over two decades and have seen him work his way up from a quality control coach to a head coach," Titans coach Mike Munchak said. "He will bring a great deal of defensive knowledge and energy to our staff. The decision to bring him here only came after going through a thoughtful and thorough process."

Williams will work with defensive coordinator Jerry Gray. They worked together previously with the Titans, Redskins and Bills, but in those instances Williams was either head coach (Bills) or coordinator (Titans, Redskins).

In Williams' final season in Tennessee, the Titans ranked first in the NFL in defense and second in scoring defense.

Williams has 23 years of NFL coaching experience, including three years as Bills head coach from 2001-03.

Williams, who was the Saints defensive coordinator from 2009-2011, was indefinitely suspended after admitting that he ran a bounty pool of up to $50,000 that rewarded players with thousand-dollar payoffs for knocking targeted opponents out of games.

Williams, the central figure in the New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal, was told Thursday by the league that he has been reinstated and is free to work for the Titans in the role of senior assistant/defense.

Earlier, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell notified Williams and the Tennessee Titans that his contract with the Titans has been approved and that he has been reinstated.

The commissioner cited several reasons for the reinstatement, "including Williams' forthcoming acknowledgement of and acceptance of responsibility for his role in the bounty program at the Saints".

Also, the commissioner cited Williams' commitment to never again be involved in a pay-for-performance or bounty system and his pledge to teach safe play and respect for the rules at all levels of the game.

Goodell emphasized that Williams must fully conform to league rules and will be subject to periodic monitoring to confirm his compliance.

Ex-Saints Assistant Gregg Williams Reinstated, Joins Titans Coaching Staff