The Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals, ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, settled a tampering investigation regarding the latter’s hiring of Jonathan Gannon as their new head coach.
Gannon served as the defensive coordinator of the Eagles in 2021-22. He joined the Cardinals in 2023.
The settlement resulted in the two teams swapping third-round picks in the 2023 Draft. The Cardinals will receive Eagles’ fifth-round pick in the 2024 draft. Philadelphia, on the other hand, have the No 66 overall pick this year. Arizona hold the 94th.
The two franchises released a joint statement.
“The Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles have agreed on the settlement of an issue concerning an instance of impermissible contact by Arizona during its head coaching search this past January,” it read.
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“The Cardinals self-reported to the National Football League that general manager Monti Ossenfort had a phone conversation with then-Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon in the days following the NFC Championship Game, a period during which contact is not permitted under the League’s Anti-Tampering Policy. To resolve the matter between the two clubs, the Cardinals and Eagles have agreed to swap third round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and the Cardinals receive Philadelphia’s fifth-round selection in 2024.”
The Cardinals self-reported a violation, saying their general manager Monti Ossenfort spoke with Gannon via phone a few days after Philadelphia’s 2023 NFC Championship win. Such contact is not permitted.
Arizona fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury in January after they ended their regular season at the bottom of NFC West. They announced Gannon’s hiring on February 14 after Jalen Hurts and co lost Super Bowl LVII to the Kansas City Chiefs.
