The Detroit Lions must forfeit their 2011 seventh-round draft pick because the NFL has determined the club has violated the NFL anti-tampering policy.

The decision was announced today (Friday). The team has until Feb. 28 to appeal.

A statement released today by the NFL says: ...”The Detroit Lions have violated the NFL Anti-Tampering Policy by commenting publicly to the media about the Lions’ desire to acquire players then under contract to the Kansas City Chiefs and by having impermissible contact with a player (or his agent) under contract to the Chiefs. The violations occurred in 2010.’’

The Chiefs filed tampering charges against the Lions in early December.

Although no names were given in the NFL release, it is believed to involve Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham and former Chiefs safety Jarrad Page who is now with the Patriots.

Page played two full seasons as a starter under Cunningham when he was the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator.

Tampering is defined by the league office as: "Any interference by a member club with the employer-employee relationship of another club or any attempt by a club to impermissibly induce a person to seek employment with that club or with the NFL."

The Lions will also have to swap fifth-round picks with the Chiefs. Detroit will now have the 23rd selection of the fifth round while Kansas City will move up to ninth.

(Paula Pasche covers the Lions. Follow her on Twitter @PaulaPasche. Read her Lions Lowdown blog at oplions.blogspot.com.)