March 23, 2016; Boca Raton, FL; Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses reporters at the NFL owners meeting. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)
A firm date for the NFL to hear the Chiefs’ appeal for violating the Anti-Tampering Policy apparently hasn’t been scheduled yet.
But the Chiefs can expect commissioner Roger Goodell – not a league representative – to preside over the process.
“I do not know if it’s scheduled yet,” Goodell told reporters Wednesday at the league’s annual meeting in Florida. “I know they did appeal and will accommodate the date. I do expect I will hear it. I haven’t thought of any other alternatives at this point in time.”
The NFL came down hard on the Chiefs on March 9 after ruling the Chiefs had improper contact during the 2015 open-negotiation period with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who was then under contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The result of the league’s ruling saw the Chiefs lose a third-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and a sixth-round pick in 2017. The NFL also imposed monetary punishments, fining the Chiefs as an organization $250,000, while fining coach Andy Reid $75,000 and general manager John Dorsey $25,000.
During the annual open-negotiation period, which in 2015 was a three-day window before the start of the league’s calendar year, a team is allowed to contact the agents of players scheduled to become unrestricted free agent.
Direct contact with players, however, is prohibited under the league’s policy.
The Chiefs are hoping to have the appeal heard before the 2016 NFL Draft, which is scheduled to occur April 28-30.
Goodell appears willing to accommodate the Chiefs’ request.
“It’s an important policy to us,” Goodell told reporters. “It’s important from a competitive standpoint, so I would expect I would hear it and if they would like to do it in advance of the draft, we’ll do that.”
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Herbie Teope is the lead Chiefs beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com and The Topeka Capital-Journal. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @HerbieTeope.
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