The NFL’s Tampering Penalty: A Slap on the Wrist for the Falcons?
The NFL’s decision to fine the Atlanta Falcons $250,000 and strip them of a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft has sparked controversy. The punishment, deemed too lenient by some, stems from the team’s tampering allegations involving unrestricted free agents Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Charlie Woerner.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio strongly expressed his displeasure with the NFL’s decision, arguing that the league gave the Falcons preferential treatment. Florio pointed out that the league’s punishment didn’t meet the Falcons’ crime, citing a similar incident in 2016 where the Kansas City Chiefs were stripped of a third-round pick for speaking directly to Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin during the pre-free agency negotiating window.
The Falcons’ general manager, Terry Fontenot, was fined $50,000, and the team was docked a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. While the NFL concluded that the Falcons’ violations of the league’s anti-tampering policy were considered “logistical/administrative,” Florio believes the punishment was too light.
In other news, Jack Driscoll, an NFL offensive lineman, hosted his first annual football camp in Madison, where about 250 boys and girls took the field to practice football with the local sports legend. Driscoll, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in March, said it was his way of giving back to his hometown.
Jack Driscoll at his football camp
Meanwhile, Stephon Gilmore, a veteran cornerback, remains a free agent, waiting for the right opportunity. With 140 career passes defensed and 31 interceptions, Gilmore is the highest-ranked player remaining on Gregg Rosenthal’s top 101 free agents.
As the NFL season approaches, teams are gearing up for training camp, and the Falcons’ tampering penalty serves as a reminder that the league takes such violations seriously – or does it?
