The NFL has finally made its decision on the Atlanta Falcons tampering investigation.
According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the NFL ruled that the Falcons did violate the league's anti-tampering policy. Atlanta will forfeit its 2025 fifth-round pick as punishment. The team will also pay a $250,000 fine and GM Terry Fontenot will be fined $50,000.
The violations are considered to be logistical and administrative in nature. For example, making travel arrangements after players agreed to terms. The violations did not involve contact prior to the negotiation window.
The NFL stated that the Falcons tampered during contract negotiations with Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Charlie Woerner.
The NFL released a statement along with the decision.
“While the policy permits clubs to engage with and negotiate all aspects of an NFL player contract with the certified agent of any prospective unrestricted free agent during the two-day negotiating period, any direct contact between the player and an employee or representative of the club is prohibited,” the statement reads, per Pelissero. “This includes discussion of travel arrangements or other logistical matters, which the club acknowledges took place with regard to these three players.”
The Falcons responded to the news with a statement of their own.
“We are pleased the review is complete,” the Falcons said in a statement on Thursday, per NFL.com. “We cooperated fully with the league and its review, and appreciate the NFL's thoroughness. As we do with every process, we will review how we operate and look for ways to improve.”
The NFL also announced today that the Philadelphia Eagles did not violate the league's anti-tampering policy and will face no punishment. The Eagles were being investigated for their handling of Saquon Barkley's free agency negotiations.
Kirk Cousins' teammate says the QB has been embraced by Falcons, has good relationship with rookie Michael Penix Jr.
The anti-tampering policy violation from Atlanta is far from their biggest story of the offseason.
The Falcons aggressively addressed their QB situation by signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. They also shocked the NFL by selecting QB Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Those two moves together led many to criticize Atlanta's decision making and speculate that the two QBs would cause a controversy.
However, according to teammate Bijan Robinson, both players have a good relationship and are fitting into the Falcons' organization.
Robinson appeared on a recent episode of The Insiders on NFL+ and shared his thoughts on his two QBs.
“Kirk already earned the respect from everybody,” Robinson said, “especially me. He's my locker mate so I joke around with him every single day.”
Cousins' professionalism and competitive spirit is already rubbing off on younger players like Robinson and Penix Jr.
“He's locked in every single day and he's teaching us all not to just go through the motions but actually lock into what we're doing,” Robinson said.
He also added that Kirk Cousins is teaching Michael Penix Jr. “everything he needs to know to be the best.”
“[Cousins is] the best dude ever man,” Robinson concluded, “I respect him so much.”
It will be fascinating to watch the Falcons' offense later this fall.
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