Report: NFL Cancels 1 team, Fines another for Tampering
The NFL concluded its investigation into whether the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons tampered with Saquon Barkley and Kirk Cousins, respectively, this offseason.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the league cleared the Eagles of tampering with Barkley and fined the Falcons $250,000 and docked their 2025 fifth-round draft pick. Along with Cousins, the NFL found Atlanta also tampered with Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner.
Falcons general manger Terry Fontenot was also 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
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the punishment is expected to be “more severe” for the Falcons because the “transgressions are considered more significant.”
Cousins and Atlanta agreed to a four-year deal during the league’s legal tampering period. However, Cousins may have said a little too much during his introductory press conference with the Falcons on Wednesday night. The quarterback, who left the Minnesota Vikings after six seasons, revealed tight end Kyle Pitts reached out to him a few weeks before he signed via text message. Not only that, Cousins admitted he spoke directly to one of Atlanta’s athletic trainers.
Per the NFL rules, teams are only permitted to speak with the player’s agent — not the player — during the two-day legal tampering window.
When it comes to Barkley and the Eagles, the running back’s former Penn State coach, James Franklin, hinted that Philadelphia’s general manager Howie Roseman spoke directly to the 27-year-old —who signed a three-year deal with the Eagles — during the legal tampering period.
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