Kirk Cousins’ Falcons lose 2025 fifth-round draft pick and are penalized with $250,000 for violating the NFL’s tampering rules

The Falcons were alleged to have tampered NFL rules by approaching Cousins a day before they were supposed to.

Kirk Cousins’ Falcons lose 2025 fifth-round draft pick and are penalized with $250,000 for violating the NFL’s tampering rules

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (Via Imago)

The NFL has concluded its investigation into the Atlanta Falcons surrounding the tampering allegations leveled against the trade of Kirk Cousins. The quarterback happened to reveal during his first press conference with the team that the trainer approached him before the official timeline for team staff to meet with players came into play.

The NFL has stripped the Atlanta Falcons of their fifth-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, compelled the team to pay a fine of $250,000, and fined general manager Terry Fontenot $50,000. The issue in question was that the team was quick to sign Kirk Cousins on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period. The agreement was reached right after teams were allowed to begin negotiations with free agents.

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As per league rules, teams are allowed to talk to agents during the 52-hour negotiating window, but they cannot be in direct contact with the player until and unless the athlete represents himself. Cousins, in this case, gave away the fact that he had been talking to the Falcons’ staff one day before it was permissible.

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Kirk Cousins contacted the Atlanta Falcons’ athletic trainer a day before teams could negotiate with players

The quarterback gave away a key piece of information during his first presser as a Falcon.

There's great people here. And it's not just the football team. I mean, I'm looking at the support staff. Meeting, calling, yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of PR, we got good people here. And that's exciting to be part of.
Kirk Cousins said
Kirk Cousins (via IMAGO)

The NFL’s ruling does not focus solely upon Kirk Cousins and his contract, the league has an objection over discussions with wideout Darnell Mooney and tight end Charlie Woerner during the two-day negotiation period.

The team will now pay for its mistake as per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. In addition to the Falcons, the league also looked at the Philadelphia Eagles over suspected tampering allegations over trading for Saquon Barkley. However, the league concluded that there was no tampering involved there. The league has been serious about coming down on cases of tampering in the recent past and it does not intend to stop anytime soon.

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