Report: Chiefs Win Tampering Charge Against The Lions

Jason LaCanfora of NFL Network is reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs have won a tampering charge against the Detroit Lions. As a result of the ruling by the NFL, the Chiefs and Lions will switch 5th round picks and Detroit will be stripped of it’s 7th round pick.

It is not clear exactly what the charge entailed, however it likely stems from some comments made by former KC defensive coordinator and head coach Gunther Cunningham.

As the Chiefs continued to cut many dead weight players picked up during the Herm Edwards/Gunther Cunningham era, Gun, who had landed in Detroit mentioned that he wouldn’t mind picking up some of his former players if the Chiefs should continue to cut them.

“[Kansas City] keeps wanting to dump their players,” Cunningham said in February 2010. “I would like to be there to catch a lot of them, because I know a couple of those guys.”

Teams are forbidden from talking about acquiring any player currently under contract with another team. While Gun didn’t mention any player by name, his comment certainly could be interpreted as tampering.

The teams have until February 28th to appeal the ruling. The guys over at Pro Football Talk suggest that KC may complain that the ruling is too lenient.

If things stay as they are, KC will move up 16 slots in the 5th round. It isn’t earth shattering but it is a much more valuable pick than what the team had before. Remember, Pioli traded an early 4th round pick and an extra 5th rounder to trade back into the 3rd round to take Tony Moeaki. This ruling makes KC’s 5th round pick much more attractive if packaged in a trade.

Thanks a lot Gunther!