After a lot of speculation the Falcons finally got a ruling from the NFL and have been docked a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft and fined $250,000 for violating the NFL's anti-tampering policy related to free agent signings. The tampering violations for the Falcons were a result of "improper contact" with three players prior to their official unrestricted free agency period: quarterback Kirk Cousins, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner. In addition to the team penalties, the NFL fined Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot $50,000. After a lot of speculation that the Falcons could lose as high as a first round pick, earlier today The Morning Shift explained why that was never going to happen.
“They were never gonna to lose anything close to what the Dolphins lost that year who the Dolphins had the most egregious of all tampering when talking to not only Tom Brady years before his contract was over but Sean Payton as well years before his contract was over.” Beau Morgan said.
Beau is talking about an incident back in 2022 when the NFL had Miami forfeit a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL draft, a third-round selection in the 2024 draft, suspended Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, and fined him $1.5 million for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton. To Beau’s point, the Falcons making travel arrangements for Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney and Charlie Woerner a little too early is nothing compared to what the Dolphins did, and that’s why Beau goes on to say a fifth-round pick and a fine is nothing when it comes to a punishment and that’s the way it should’ve been.
“A Fifth round pick to me is nothing. This was much to do about nothing.”
At the end of the day, everyone in the Falcons organization is happy it’s over, the fans are happy it’s over, and the NFL is happy it’s over, so now everyone can go back to speculating on the field topics when it comes to the Falcons instead of this “much to do about nothing” off the field topic.
