Browns, Falcons Reportedly to Be Punished for Violating League Rules

The Cleveland Browns and Atlanta Falcons reportedly are bracing to be disciplined by the NFL for various rules violations.

Continue for updates.

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Falcons Reportedly to Lose Draft Pick, Browns GM to Be Suspended

Monday, March 30

Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on penalties for both the Falcons and Browns for their respective rules violations, saying that Falcons president Rich McKay is going to be suspended from the league's competition committee, while Atlanta will also lose a draft pick for piping in crowd noise. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed Schefter's report on Atlanta's penalties.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Per Schefter on SportsCenter, via CBS Sports' Will Brinson, the Falcons are expected to lose a mid-round pick.  

Schefter also reported on Cleveland's expected punishment, noting that the league will likely suspend Browns general manager Ray Farmer. But Schefter pointed out that the Browns are not expected to lose a draft choice.

In addition to the punishments, Schefter expects "hefty" fines to be levied against both franchises and reported that an announcement would come by Tuesday.

On March 27, D. Orlando Ledbetter of AJC.com reported that Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff was bracing for a potential loss of a high draft pick.

Ledbetter also provided a statement from Dimitroff:

"

We are just so full of scenarios and that’s kind of how we approach the offseason as it is. We’ve been very detailed on how we are going to approach things if in fact we have availability at certain points in the draft.

I do not know [the team's plight] at this point, officially. I have not (received) word from the league.

"

On March 25, Schefter, citing sources, reported the punishment for both Cleveland and Atlanta—expected to be announced next week—is going to be "severe."

Rumors surfaced, according to Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot, of a high-ranking Browns official text messaging to the sidelines about play-calling during games before it was revealed that Farmer was behind it all.

Farmer spoke about the scandal at the owners meetings March 25, via Cabot:

"

I know I did something wrong and I answered to that; and again, at the end of the day every trial I face or every circumstance that's not positive or whatever, it'll make me better. ... Even though it's not a positive, it's not something I'm proud of. It's not a badge or something I'm wearing, but I'm definitely trying to take the positive out of it.

"

Cabot made an inference about the potential draft pick the Browns could be stripped of:

The "Textgate" controversy is considered to be one of the reasons former Cleveland offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan bolted after just one year for the same post in Atlanta. Now Shanahan's new team appears to be in trouble.

Owner Arthur Blank has admitted wrongdoing after the Falcons pumped artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome during the past two seasons to give Atlanta a competitive advantage. It didn't really work, as the Falcons posted a 6-10 home record in that span.

It certainly sounds like the NFL will come down hard on both issues, which isn't good news as both franchises are trying to turn things around off of two consecutive losing seasons.