The NFL announced on Thursday that the Atlanta Falcons have been penalized for tampering with free agents during the offseason. As a result, the team was stripped of a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and fined $250,000. General Manager Terry Fontenot was also fined $50,000 according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
One of the free agents that Atlanta was found to have communicated with impermissibly during the legal negotiating window was former 49ers tight end Charlie Woerner. According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, the violations occurred when discussions involving things like flights took place after the Falcons had already legally agreed to terms on deals with their free agents.
The Falcons were also found to have tampered with former Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney and former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. However, they ultimately signed Woerner to a three-year, $12 million contract this offseason.
