When Kirk Cousins first spoke to reporters after signing with the Falcons, he admitted (unintentionally) that the team had committed multiple violations of the league’s tampering policy. This week, for the second time against the backdrop of logos and sponsors, Cousins was asked about the progress of the investigation.
“The league is still going through this,” Cousins said. “So I’ll let them do it. But there’s not much there.”
Um, there’s a lot there. If the league wants to find him.
Cousins admitted that he spoke (after he began saying he met) with the team’s head athletic trainer during the 52-hour negotiating window, where direct communication between the team and the impending free agent is strictly prohibited. Cousins said he spoke with director of player personnel Ryan Pace likely during the same window. Right there, two violations.
Cousins said that tight end Kyle Pitts (who vehemently denied our suggestion that he was talking to Cousins a week before agreeing to terms) had been actively recruiting Cousins for several weeks. If Pitts was acting under direction or with the knowledge of the team, that is another violation.
Cousins also admitted that during the 52-hour window, he personally called Bears receiver Darnell Mooney to close the deal that brought him to Atlanta as well. So basically, the Falcons’ tampering with Cousins was so complete that it turned him into a tool to tamper with Mooney.
Of course, the league needs to want to find violations — and act on them. When it comes to situations like this, the league is woefully inconsistent. Especially with Falcons executive Rich McKay serving as chairman of the Competition Committee.
The compound tampering question asked of Cousins included a mention of whether he should give up his phone. His reaction suggested that he was not required to do so.
Why wouldn’t he be? If the league wants to get to the bottom of this, shouldn’t the league want Cousins’ phone, Pace’s phone, Pitts’ phone, coach’s phone, coach Raheem Morris’ phone, GM Terry Fontenot’s phone? Shouldn’t the league want to see security footage of team facilities to see if Cousins was there before 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday?
In all cases, the quality of the outcome of an investigation depends on the quality of the investigation. If the NFL simply called the Falcons and asked, “Did you tamper?” Of course there won’t be much there.
But if the NFL was scorched earth when it came to, for example, someone taking the air out of footballs, how can it not be scorched earth now?
That’s the problem with the league’s “do it as we go” approach. Without consistency, there is no justice.
Yes, everyone adulterates. Cousins’ comments in March painted the most egregious picture I’ve ever seen. We’ll see if the league looks the other way — or takes appropriate action.
Regardless, Patriots, Raiders and Saints fans know what would have happened to their favorite teams if they had done what the Falcons did.
