FLOWERY BRANCH – The Atlanta Falcons are expecting to officially hear from the National Football League office about the noise gate penalties today.
The team piped fake noise into the Georgia Dome for two seasons and are expected to get a hefty fine, lose a draft pick in the 2016 draft and president Rich McKay is expected to be suspended from the league’s powerful competition committee.
The Falcons were reportedly informed of their penalties last week at the owners’ meeting. The team does not plan to comment about the penalties until they receive the official letter from the league office and are able to review its contents.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank has admitted to the team’s wrongdoing and said that he was “embarrassed” by the investigation.
In this week's edition of The MMQB with Peter King , he projected that the Falcons could lose a 'mid-round' pick.
Most of the speculation has been around a second- or third-round pick in this year’s or next year’s draft.
The Browns and Falcons could lose mid-round picks this week. Cleveland GM Ray Farmer has admitted texting his coaches during games, a violation of league rules, and the Falcons have admitted piping in extra crowd noise at the Georgia Dome. I doubt either transgression rises to the level or a first- or second-round pick as a penalty, but I believe both teams will be docked a pick or picks. Today, Cleveland has six picks in the top three-and-a-half rounds: 12, 19, 43, 77, 111, 115. The league still has a while to go on the Jets-Patriots tampering case.
The Falcons hold the 8, 42, 73, 107, 146, 184, 224 and 249 picks.
The investigation was completed in November and the Falcons were expecting to hear from the league by early February.
The violations turned up in the regular league audit of sound levels.
"It's not really a fine line," Blank told The Associated Press on Feb. 2. "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong. Anything that affects the competitive balance and fairness on the field, we're opposed to, as a league, as a club and as an owner. It's obviously embarrassing but beyond embarrassing it doesn't represent our culture and what we're about."
The Falcons were expecting to hear from the league by late February, early March.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Blank said he was “embarrassed and angered” when he found out in November that the franchise was being investigated by the league office.
“We cooperated fully,” Blank said “We certainly support the integrity of the league, the integrity of fair competition and the integrity of the shield. We are not happy about it.”
The Falcons were 3-5 and 3-4 at home will attempting to get a competitive advantage from the fake noise.
“That’s not our culture and what we are about or what the NFL is about,” Blank said.
Falcons president Rich McKay is chairman of the league’s competition committee.
“There’s plenty of in-game, either noise or use-of-the-board fines,” McKay said.
There have been 10 or more other similar cases around the league that have looked into the way noise has been used on third down and the use of music.
“This specific instance they’re looking into, I don’t know that,” McKay said. “As far as somebody played something too loud or somebody played something too long.”
Stadium officials are allowed to use stadium audio until 20 seconds remain on the play clock, 10 seconds longer than previous years. Video boards can incite crowds to make noise throughout a visiting team’s play when previously it had to be discontinued with 30 seconds left on the play clock.
The Dome has not been rocking much since the Falcons defeated Seattle in the division round of the playoffs in 2013. After losing in the NFC championship game to the San Francisco 49ers, the Falcons have posted a 10-22 record and have lost their “Dome” field advantage.
Ironically, during last season the Falcons had to use silent counts because of crowd noise from the visiting teams’ fans who overtook the Georgia Dome.
FALCONS STORIES
Falcons to focus on adding another cornerstone
Quinn-Dimitroff partnership off to a strong start
Q&A with Falcons head coach Dan Quinn at the combine
Falcons coach Dan Quinn fired up to watch pass-rushers
Q&A with Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff on moving forward
Falcons to keep character filter on draft picks
Falcons close to re-signing kicker Matt Bryant
Falcons LT Jake Matthews recovering from offseason surgery
Falcons plan to extend WR Julio Jones contract
Falcons could target Denver TE Julius Thomas in free agency
Falcons' roster gutting could have big names (i.e. Steven Jackson)
Cutting the Falcons roster -- Should they stay or should they go?
COMBINE STORIES
Todd Gurley speaks about autograph-signing caper
Bucs appear set to cast future with Jameis Winston
Todd Gurley intriguing prospect to NFL teams
Chris Conley puts on a dazzling show at the combine
Waller, Smelter out to prove NFL standing at the combine
VIDEO DEPARTMENT
Watch: D. Led -- Falcons news at the combine
Watch: NFL Network's Mike Mayock at the combine
Watch: Todd Gurley has interviews set up with 24 NFL teams
Watch: Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff at the combine
Watch: Falcons coach Dan Quinn at the combine
Watch: Rams GM Les Snead on the pass-rush talent at the combine
FALCONS COMBINE MEETINGS
Oregon DE Arik Armstead talked scheme with the Falcons
Falcons met with Alabama quarterback Blake Sims
Falcons to meet with Florida DE Dante Fowler Jr.
Falcons met with Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson
Falcons met with Alabama safety Landon Collins
PHOTO GALLERIES
Photographs from the 2015 NFL scouting combine
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