NFL: Noise fake, but penalties aren't
The NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons, stripped the organization of a draft pick and suspended team president Rich McKay from the league's Competition Committee beginning April 1 following the team's use of fake noise at home games.
The NFL has fined the Atlanta Falcons, stripped the organization of a draft pick and suspended team president Rich McKay from the league's Competition Committee beginning April 1 following the team's use of fake noise at home games.
In statement released Monday, the league announced that the Falcons have been fined $350,000 and will forfeit their fifth-round selection in the 2016 draft. If the Falcons have multiple picks in that round, the highest selection will be forfeited.
The NFL noted throughout the 2013 season and into the 2014 season the Falcons violated league rules that state "at no point during the game can artificial crowd noise or amplified crowd noise be played in the stadium."
The league also said Roddy White, the team's former director of event marketing, was directly responsible for the violation and would have been suspended without pay for the first eight weeks of the 2015 regular season had he still been with the club. The Falcons fired him.
McKay can petition Commissioner Roger Goodell for reinstatement to the committee no sooner than June 30.
Browns GM suspended
Browns general manager Ray Farmer has been suspended by the NFL for the first four games next season for sending text messages to the sideline during games.
Farmer, who has acknowledged sending the messages, will not be paid during his suspension. His ban begins on midnight of the Sunday preceding the Browns' first regular-season game and will end immediately after the Browns' fourth regular-season game. The league said during his suspension that Farmer cannot be involved in any club matters. He is also prohibited from being at the Browns' offices, practice facility or games. The Browns were also fined $250,000, but the league did not strip the team of any 2015 draft picks.
Other moves
Carolina signed free agent running back/kick returner Jordan Todman from Jacksonville to a one-year contract. Financial details were not released.
Demaryius Thomas says he'll skip Denver's offseason workouts until the sides agree on a long-term contract.
San Francisco hosted free-agent linebacker Lance Briggs. The 34-year-old went on the reserve/injured list in late November with a groin injury, and played in only eight games for Chicago.