Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) loses the ball as he is hit by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Atlanta Falcons hit with $250,000 fine and draft pick forfeit for tampering with Kirk Cousins… before going on to draft another quarterback
The Atlanta Falcons violated the league’s anti-tampering policy in regards to Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner prior to signing them in free agency, the NFL has ruled.
Atlanta will forfeit its 2025 fifth-round draft pick and pay a fine of $250,000.
GM Terry Fontenot has also been fined $50,000.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero the violations are considered ‘logistical/administrative,’ such as making travel arrangements after players agreed to contract terms.
The violations reportedly occurred during the league’s two-day negotiating period, and Atlanta are not accused of making contact with Cousins, Mooney and Woerner beforehand.
Nonetheless, NFL teams are prohibited from making any direct contact with players during the two-day negotiating period, which the Falcons have acknowledged took place according to a league statement (contact with agents, however, is allowed).
Cousins, who is returning from a torn right Achilles tendon that ended his 2023 season after eight games, also indicated in his introductory press conference with the team that he spoke to Atlanta’s medical staff before he was allowed to.
‘There´s great people here,’ Cousins said. ‘And it´s not just the football team. I mean, I´m looking at the support staff. Meeting – calling, yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of PR. I´m thinking, we got good people here. And that´s exciting to be a part of.’
Cousins would go on to sign a massive four year, $180million contract with the team, before the Falcons surprisingly decided to draft former Washington quarterback Michael Penix eighth overall.
Also on Thursday, the NFL announced it did not find ‘sufficient evidence’ to rule that the Eagles violated the league’s anti-tampering policy in regards to Saquon Barkley.
The league said it reviewed phone logs, text messages and other documents related to the three-year, $37million deal the Eagles eventually handed the running back.
Barkley, Eagles GM Howie Roseman, head coach Nick Sirianni and Penn State head coach James Franklin were also interviewed.
