The Tampa Bay Buccaneers received a substantial fine for inappropriate contact with players during the NFL lockout, sources with knowledge of the situation said on Friday. Coach Raheem Morris admitted to as much during a radio interview and following an investigation by the league.
Contrary to internet reports, the Tennessee Titans were not fined for a similar offense, according to team and league sources.
Profootballtalk.com reported Friday that the Buccaneers, Titans and one other team were each fined $100,000 or more for violating lockout rules, but a league source said there were several inaccuracies with that report.
The NFL investigated seven instances of impermissible contact between Buccaneers players and coaches, according to a team source on Sept. 11, but three of the calls were less than a minute long and could have been hangups or never completed. One call was between Morris and tight end Kellen Winslow to wish him well on the birth of a child. And the longest conversation was between Morris and a player who didn’t make the team.