Key Takeaways:
– Kirk Cousins was officially introduced by the Atlanta Falcons during a press conference, marking his first media appearance in Atlanta.
– Cousins’ speech mirrored the tone of his initial introduction with the Minnesota Vikings, emphasizing professionalism and gratitude, but he nearly made a significant slip-up.
– He inadvertently hinted at a potential violation of the NFL’s legal tampering rules by mentioning a conversation with the team’s head athletic trainer during the negotiating period.
– The NFL’s legal tampering period restricts direct communication between players and teams, raising questions about the Falcons’ access to Cousins’ medical records before the allowed time.
– Historical instances of NFL teams facing penalties for tampering, such as the Kansas City Chiefs and a trade incident involving the Cardinals and Eagles, highlight the potential consequences for the Falcons.
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On Wednesday evening, the Atlanta Falcons proudly welcomed quarterback Kirk Cousins, marking his inaugural media session in Atlanta. This event closely resembled Cousins’ first press conference with the Minnesota Vikings, characterized by its formality, professionalism, and an air of appreciation. However, Cousins came close to making a significant misstep.
In his address, Cousins acknowledged his discussions with the team’s head athletic trainer, almost revealing that they had met in person during the period designated for legal tampering and negotiations. “There’s great people here, and it’s not just the football team,” Cousins remarked. “I mean, I’m looking at the support staff. Meeting — calling, yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of P.R. I’m thinking, we got good people here. And that’s exciting to be a part of.”
This period of legal tampering is strictly regulated, permitting only agents to engage in discussions with teams, with direct player involvement being prohibited. This incident also raises the issue of whether the Falcons prematurely accessed Cousins’ medical records, an action that should not have occurred before 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday.
While it’s widely acknowledged that tampering is a common practice among teams, openly admitting to such actions, or nearly doing so, can lead to significant repercussions. For instance, the Kansas City Chiefs lost a third-round pick for tampering with Jeremy Maclin in 2013, and more recently, a trade between the Cardinals and Eagles resulted in the Eagles advancing 28 picks in the third round for prematurely engaging with Jonathan Gannon.
Given these precedents, the Vikings might consider taking action, which could result in the Falcons losing draft picks or facing other penalties.