NFL Tampering Investigations: Falcons and Eagles Await Verdict
The NFL is expected to make a ruling this week on the tampering investigations against the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The league has been looking into whether the Falcons and/or Eagles had impermissible contact with quarterback Kirk Cousins and running back Saquon Barkley, respectively.
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The Falcons are under scrutiny for their alleged contact with Cousins, who is recovering from a torn Achilles. Cousins revealed during his introductory press conference that he had spoken directly with some Falcons employees, including the head athletic trainer, before the NFL’s league year had begun. This could be a major issue for the Falcons, as it is against NFL rules to have contact with a player before the league year starts.
“Yesterday, I spoke with the head athletic trainer and head of PR,” Cousins said.
The Eagles, on the other hand, are in trouble due to a statement made by Penn State’s James Franklin, who claimed that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman had spoken with Barkley before he was permitted to do so.
“Saquon told me that Howie Roseman’s first sales pitch to him in free agency was coming back home to PA,” Franklin said.
Both teams have denied any wrongdoing, but the NFL is taking the allegations seriously. Schefter reported that the discipline for Atlanta is expected to be more severe, citing past precedent. The Miami Dolphins, for example, forfeited a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-rounder for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
The NFL draft is a crucial part of the league’s offseason
The Falcons and Eagles are fortunate that the ruling didn’t come down before the 2024 NFL draft, which would have left them scrambling to adjust their strategy with potentially fewer picks. Now, they will have ample time to prepare for the league’s decision.
The NFL’s ruling is expected to be announced this week, and it will be interesting to see how the league handles these tampering allegations.
The NFL commissioner will make the final decision on the tampering allegations
