Atlanta Falcons forfeit fifth-round pick and are fined for tampering with Kirk Cousins
The Atlanta Falcons were stripped of a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft on Thursday for violating the NFL’s anti-tampering rules prior to signing quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner in free agency in March.
The Atlanta Falcons were stripped of a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft on Thursday for violating the NFL’s anti-tampering rules prior to signing quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner in free agency in March.
The NFL also fined the team $250,000, while general manager Terry Fontenot has been fined $50,000.
The Falcons and Cousins agreed on a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed shortly after the league’s 52-hour legal tampering window opened on March 11. Woerner agreed on a $12 million, three-year deal later that day and Mooney agreed on a $39 million, three-year deal a day later.
The league didn’t penalize the Philadelphia Eagles for having impermissible contact with running back Saquon Barkley, saying its investigation “did not discover sufficient evidence to support a finding that the anti-tampering policy was violated.”
It’s normal for teams and players to reach agreements quickly and there were other players who agreed to deals even before Cousins. But Cousins’ comments at his introductory news conference raised questions that led to the NFL’s investigation.
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