Kirk Cousins Tampering Penalty Leaves Falcons Smiling, Vikings Seething

The Atlanta Falcons learned their fate on Thursday for the tampering charges levied against them.

Atlanta Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot was fined $50,000 as part of the tampering charges levied against the Atlanta for three free agents. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

In a perfect world, no one commits an infraction. For the Atlanta Falcons, tampering with potential free agents cost them a 2025 fifth-round pick and $250,000. Additionally, Falcons general manager felt his wallet open as a $50,000 fine.

Now, with that said, in the minds of Falcons brass, was Kirk Cousins worth a draft pick forfeiture and a quarter-million-dollar penalty? Of course.

Moment of Honesty

Now, other media outlets wanted to paint the issue as severe for Atlanta, but that may have been wishful thinking coming from Vikings' sources. In all honesty, the fine becomes the cost of doing business in the modern-day NFL. If you truly believe in the purity of the NFL, a realtor would gladly sell you oceanfront property in Wyoming. 

If you look at who founded the National Football League from a family standpoint, the quest for upstanding falls flat. Google the surnames of prominent NFL families that created the billion-dollar monster and you will see a laundry list of alleged angels with dirty halos.

Falcons Viewpoint

Did the Falcons anticipate the league finding out and handing out a punishment? No. Do they truly care? No. Will the $250,000 fine hurt? Not at all. It represents .25% as in .0025 of the $100-million guaranteed Kirk Cousins will get in the next-two years. It's less than 1% of the dead-money Cousins has on the Vikings' salary cap.

Granted, general manager Terry Fontenot feels the financial pain a bit more. Anyone personally losing $50,000 must seethe when the deduction shows up in transactions. Yet, Atlanta signed the quarterback they wanted, and there's probably a $50,000 discretionary bonus heading Fontenot's way in the near future.

Kirk Cousins provides an immediate upgrade. Within the confines of the NFC South, no team stands head and shoulders above the others. As a result, the penalty counts more as a success. In securing Cousins and overhauling the roster, Atlanta immediately figures in to the divisional hunt in 2024.

Vikings Viewpoint

In a weird way, a few of the Vikings faithful appear upset. Make it make sense. The same fanbase that bemoaned his lack of playoff success and was happy to see the back of him is mad at the Falcons?

The Falcons’ penalty for tampering during the Kirk Cousins negotiations amounts to a slap on the wrist. https://t.co/qGnJJje90n

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) June 13, 2024

Yet, the enmity directed towards the Falcons feels out of place, considering the franchise wanted to draft a first-round quarterback anyway, something the Falcons ended up doing, but we digress. In essence, being upset to just be mad evolves into a cottage industry in the Upper Midwest. However, they'll get the chance to exact whatever revenge they need to seek on the field.

Sunday Showdown

On Sunday, December 8, the Falcons make the journey to Minneapolis to take on the Vikings.
The slap on the wrist provides the backdrop for the game. Whether the Falcons triumph or not, they won. In respects to targeting the free agent they want, for what the league imposed, they walk away winners.