The NFL puffed up its chest and released a punishment on a Monday morning, announcing that the Falcons would be fined $350,000 and docked a fifth-round draft pick in 2016 for pumping in crowd noise.
The fall guy for the Falcons? A now-fired director of event marketing named Roddy White. If White gets hired by anyone else, he must stay suspended for the first eight weeks of the upcoming regular season. Yes, he is a real person. Yes, there were two Roddy Whites who worked for the Falcons. Yes, that is odd.
Falcons CEO Rich McKay wasn't fired, but suspended from the NFL's Competition Committee on April 1. McKay can ask for reinstatement on June 30.
In a statement, owner Arthur Blank said the Falcons won't appeal the NFL's decision.
Photo: AP