The Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy were fined by the league on Thursday for… something… that happened during OTAs in late May or early June. The specifics on which rules were violated or when or by whom were not disclosed when the announcement was made.
But the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Friday that it has obtained a letter that details the infractions that led to a $100,000 fine for the club and a $50,000 fine for McCarthy. According to Stefan Stevenson and Clarence Hill Jr., the punishments came as a result of “live contact violations.”
The letter, sent by the league to the team, reportedly “details video of a May 27 practice that shows ‘the intensity and tempo of the club’s interior line play and pass coverage during 11-on-11 drills were at a level where players were clearly engaged in physical contests’.”
Further, the letter states, “excessive contact between defensive backs and wide receivers” and also between offensive and defensive linemen “resulted in players being taken to the ground,” something that is not permitted under current OTA rules, which have been previously agree up on by both the league’s owners and the NFLPA.
As the Star-Telegram explains:
“The letter reminds the Cowboys that when on-field physical contact between players escalates to an ‘impermissible level,’ the head coach is obligated to intervene and stop the action. Coaches are also urged to remove ‘overly enthusiastic’ players from the field for individual instruction.”
In addition to the monetary fines levied against the organization and McCarthy, the Cowboys will be forced to forfeit one OTA practice during the first week of the 2022 offseason.
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