For the third time since 2012, the Seattle Seahawks have been penalized for violating the NFL and NFLPA’s rules forbidding excessive contact in offseason workouts.
Both the NFL and NFLPA conducted independent reviews of the Seahawks’ June 6 practice, where they deemed the organization violated the no live contact rule in the CBA. The violations will result in steep penalties.
The NFL announced multiple judgments levied against Seattle for the infraction. The Seahawks will be fined $400,000, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll will be docked $200,000, Seattle will lose its first week of 2017 organized team activities, and the team will lose a fifth-round pick in 2017.
If it seems like a stiff penalty towards the organization, the ruling takes account the Seahawks’ past infractions. Seattle was docked OTA sessions in 2012 for violating non-contact rules and in 2014, were fined $300,000 for the same reason. Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports should the Seahawks violate the rule again, they’ll be significantly penalized, including the potential loss of preseason and regular season practices and higher-round draft picks.
The Seahawks should get the message this time around, as monetary penalties mean little to NFL franchises. Losing draft picks, however, is a different ball game. Should Seattle try to play with fire and further allow players to participate in contract drills during OTAs, the league will come down hard on the organization. Losing a top draft pick should be enough to deter Seattle from breaking the rule a fourth time.
[NFL.com]
