After months of speculation, the NFL has finally disciplined the Atlanta Falcons for violating the league’s anti-tampering policy. This stems from the way they handled their signings of Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the NFL is stripping the Falcons of their 2025 fifth-round pick. That’s not the harshest punishment in the world, but it does minimize their Day 3 draft capital.
The second component of this punishment is that Atlanta has been fined $250,000. Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, meanwhile, has been fined $50,000.
“The violations are considered logistical/administrative, such as making travel arrangements after players agreed to terms, and did not involve contact prior to the negotiating window,” Pelissero said.
Cousins commented on these tampering allegations back in May. While at OTAs, he pretty much brushed off the idea of the Falcons bending the rules.
“The league’s still kind of going through that. So, I’ll let them do it,” Cousins said. “But there’s not a whole lot there.”
Clearly, the NFL thought there was something there worth punishing.
At the end of the day, what matters for the Falcons is that Cousins ends up being worth the money. If he plays up to his potential, the franchise won’t care about losing a fifth-round pick and some money.
The Falcons will open the season at home against the Steelers.
Related: Falcons General Manager, Coach Explain Picking Michael Penix Jr After Paying Kirk Cousins