I can't believe this news. The Kansas City Chiefs have been docked a third round pick in the 2016 draft and a sixth round pick in the 2017 draft for tampering with Jeremy Maclin last year. At least that's what the NFL said in an announcement on Wednesday night. It sounds like the Chiefs might appeal.
The NFL alleges that they improperly contacted Jeremy Maclin during the negotiating period before the start of the 2015 league year last March. Teams apparently can't contact players themselves during the legal tampering period.
In addition to the draft picks, the Chiefs were fined $250,00, Andy Reid was fined $75,00 and John Dorsey was fined $25,000.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt suggested they would appeal in a statement.
"Today we were informed by the National Football League that our club will be disciplined for an infraction during the 2015 free agency negotiating period.
"While we respect Commissioner Goodell and the process, we believe that the penalties proposed in this case are inconsistent with discipline enforced in similar matters - particularly given the league's inconsistent communication of its policies on contact with potential free agents.
"As an organization, we take great care to conduct ourselves with integrity and operate within the guidelines of the NFL. We have been fully cooperative and transparent with the league in this matter, and we are disappointed with the league's decision. I want to make it clear that I fully support the leadership of both Coach Reid and John Dorsey. We will continue to explore our options under the appeal process."
NFL executive VP of football operations Troy Vincent said in a statement:
Vincent explained that in "assessing discipline, the goal is to balance the seriousness of the violation of an important and longstanding competitive rule (the Anti-Tampering Policy), with appropriate recognition of the club's history (no prior offenses), and the cooperation shown by both the club and individual employees. The discipline should be sufficient both to deter future violations and encourage cooperation in future investigations. The assessment of discipline here accounts for the fact that the club and its personnel were fully cooperative and forthcoming in the investigation. In this case, our staff had full access to all of the information requested, including electronic and telephone records, and unrestricted access to all club people whom we sought to interview."
Wow. I can't believe it.