The NFL has disciplined the Giants for the walkie talkie issue that occurred in Week 14 by having their '17 fourth-round pick "moved to the back of the round, after compensatory selections," but the pick "won’t be pushed back more than 12 spots," according to Seth Walder of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. In addition, Giants coach Ben McAdoo "was fined $50,000 and the Giants were fined $150,000." McAdoo "used the walkie talkie for four or five plays" against the Cowboys to communicate with QB Eli Manning while the coach’s "regular communication system wasn’t working." The league "prohibits use of a walkie talkie with the quarterback because it doesn’t have a way to ensure that communication stops with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock." The NFL made its "dissatisfaction clear by including the draft-pick punishment, not wanting the Giants to get away with their infraction without paying a price" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/21). ESPN N.Y.'s Jordan Raanan cited a source as saying people around the league think the Giants' actions are a "pretty big deal" and a "blatant disregard for a known rule for a competitive advantage." The NFL "took into consideration that the Giants fully cooperated with the investigation and that it was their first violation of the policy." The Cowboys "did not file a formal complaint with the league, but with the violation being seen on the broadcast, the league almost immediately began looking into the situation" (ESPNNY.com, 12/20).
LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES: ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert wrote the NFL with the punishment given to the Giants might have "learned the value of a proportional response." Seifert: "No one would admit it, of course, but perhaps the league realizes how foolish its pursuit of [Patriots QB Tom] Brady and the Patriots was relative to the crime they were suspected of committing." The Giants "didn't get off easy here," and they were "disciplined appropriately" (ESPN.com, 12/20). ESPN's Mike Greenberg said of the penalties, "It’s not nothing, but it’s not much. ... Of all the penalties that were available out there, how do you think they arrived at the lowering of the fourth-round draft pick?" ESPN’s Mike Golic said, "This is a type of punishment that you do. This is the same thing I thought for Deflategate. ... I'm fine with it. Fine them and move on. They broke the rule. You fine them and you go” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 12/21).
JUDGING PUBLIC OPINION: PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote the NFL "clearly altered its planned punishment based on the strong negative reaction to the weekend trial balloon that the team would face only a fine." Once again, P.R. "likely played a role." Florio: "While it’s nice to know the league is listening, it would be nicer to know that the league has in place a set of fair and equitable procedures that are applied on a consistent basis in all cases with a confident and clear explanation for the outcome" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 12/20).
