Arthur Blank maintains Falcons didn't tamper with Kirk Cousins: 'There was nothing intentional'

ORLANDO – Arthur Blank insists the Atlanta Falcons didn’t break the rules in their pursuit of Kirk Cousins. Now, if only the Falcons owner can convince the NFL of that.

The NFL is investigating whether the Falcons violated the league's anti-tampering policy before securing their new quarterback with a four-year, $180 million deal as the free agency market opened.

Similarly, the league has also opened a probe into the Philadelphia Eagles’ signing of star running back Saquon Barkley for a potential violation before he finalized a three-year, $37.75 million contract.

“Any time the word ‘tampering’ comes up, you worry about it,” Blank told USA TODAY Sports as league owners gathered for their annual meetings.

In both of the cases under review, apparently neither of the teams that lost the players – Cousins played the past six seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, while Barkley had the same run with the New York Giants – filed complaints that prompted the investigations. Instead, it appears that the league took action following public comments that surfaced after the players struck their new deals.

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In the Cousins case, the league seemingly responded to the quarterback’s contention during his introductory news conference that he met or spoke to members of the Falcons’ staff on the day before the free agency market opened in mid-March. NFL rules allow for agents of players to speak to teams during a negotiating window in the two days before the market officially opens, but players can’t meet or speak with teams during the negotiating window, also referred to as the “legal tampering” period.

Cousins, rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon, stated that he had talked to the Falcons trainer and head of public relations the day before the market opened – which would have violated league policy. Cousins also revealed that Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts began efforts to recruit him during the weeks leading up to free agency, which would not be a violation unless team officials were aware of such an exchange.

Blank said the Falcons have cooperated with the league’s investigation, which could include supplying phone records.

“I know there was no tampering from our standpoint,” Blank said. “Whatever conversation there was, was very innocent. We’ll see. Whatever the league decides, we’ll deal with it.”

Even though Cousins agreed to a whopping new contract just hours after the “legal tampering” window opened despite rehabbing from a serious injury, his matter isn’t anything like the egregious case that rocked the Miami Dolphins and its team owner, Stephen Ross, in 2022. Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended for multiple months, and the Dolphins were stripped of two draft picks – including a first-round choice in 2023 – for violations over several years in pursuing Tom Brady and Sean Payton.

Yet the league’s investigation into Atlanta undoubtedly will look to assess the timeline of events that led to the signing of Cousins.

And that might be reason enough for worry. In 2016, the Kansas City Chiefs were hammered for their pursuit of free agent receiver Jeremy Maclin in 2015. The Chiefs, found to have directly contacted Maclin during the negotiating window, were stripped of two draft picks, including a third-rounder in 2016, and fined $250,000. Also, coach Andy Reid was fined $75,000, and then-GM John Dorsey was docked $25,000.

With that precedent, the cost for landing Cousins could rise for the Falcons.

“There was nothing intentional,” Blank maintains. “Minnesota understands that. The player understands that.”

Yet that understanding could still come with another price tag.