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NFL Referees Union to Challenge Suspensions of Two Officials
Confirmed
In Short: The NFL Referees Association (NFLRA) announced it will challenge the severity of suspensions imposed on two officials, Jeff Seeman and Adrian Hill, for unprofessional conduct toward players during games last weekend.
Seeman was suspended for two games after he was caught on camera yelling profanities at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride during a game against the New York Giants.
Adrian Hill also received a two-game suspension for an incident involving Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson during the Vikings' game against the Miami Dolphins.
Scott Green, executive director of the NFLRA, said in a statement that the union disagrees with the punishments, calling them excessive and inconsistent with past precedent.
Green emphasized that officials are often subjected to highly charged interactions and verbal abuse from players and coaches, but that does not excuse misconduct.
"NFL officials have a responsibility to conduct themselves professionally on the field, and the actions in these incidents fell short of that standard," Green said.
The NFLRA plans to meet with the league's officiating department to discuss disciplinary standards and with players' union leadership to address on-field conduct.
"We will defend the principle that discipline must be fair, consistent and proportionate," Green added.
The NFLPA's executive director, JC Tretter, called for the league to hold officials to the same standard as players.
"This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable. Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard," Tretter wrote on social media.
The NFLRA is expected to file a grievance on behalf of the officials to challenge the suspensions.
"Do want to give the man a little bit of grace, too," said Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur, showing some sympathy for Seeman.
"I know Jeff. He’s a good man, so it’s unfortunate it happened. It can’t happen, obviously, and I’ll leave it at that," LaFleur added.
What's confirmed
- The NFL Referees Association says it will challenge the severity of the suspensions of two officials following incidents last weekend, calling the punishment excessive and inconsistent with past precedent.
- Referees association executive director Scott Green in a statement said the union's members are routinely subjected to highly charged interactions and at times verbal abuse from players and coaches.
- WASHINGTON (AP) — The NFL Referees Association on Tuesday said it will challenge the severity of the suspensions of two officials for unprofessional conduct, which the officials union maintains went beyond appropriate punishment.
- "NFL officials have a responsibility to conduct themselves professionally on the field, and the actions in these incidents fell short of that standard," Referees Association executive director Scott Green said in a statement.
- “We will defend the principle that discipline must be fair, consistent and proportionate," Green said.
- “Accountability matters, but that should not result in discipline that is excessive or inconsistent with established precedent.” Seeman was caught on camera cursing at McBride during the Cardinals’ loss at the New York Giants.
- The NFLRA said it would meet with the league's officiating department to discuss disciplinary standards and with players' union leadership to address on-field conduct and the growing levels of confrontations between players and officials.
What's still developing
- In a statement released to insider Tom Pelissero of The Ringer, among others, Green said he looks forward to working with the NFL and NFL Players Association, as the NFLRA plans to challenge the severity of the punishments.
- The NFL Referees Association said it disagrees with the rare punishment the league handed down and will challenge the severity of both suspensions.
- History, to an extent, sides with the union in Seeman's case in particular.
- "Accountability matters, but that should not result in discipline that is excessive or inconsistent with established precedent." A league review of Seeman's interaction with Trey McBride determined that the line judge used profanity at the Arizona Cardinals tight end.
- NFL refs union to challenge severity of 2 officials’ suspensions | ESPN La Crosse 105.5 You are using an outdated browser.
- The NFL announced the suspensions Monday and said each punishment was “for an instance of unprofessional conduct toward a player” in Sunday’s games.
- The league said the suspensions were imposed by Ramon George, the NFL’s vice president of officiating.
- “Referees get talked to in a very nasty way,” former Colts center Jeff Saturday, later the team’s head coach, said during a studio show Tuesday on ESPN.
- Williams denied using a racial slur and said he “never directed any derogatory statement toward any referee,” The Washington Post reported at the time.
- On Monday, the NFL issued a two-game suspension for line judge Jeff Seeman and a one-game suspension for referee Adrian Hill for separate instances of “unprofessional conduct toward a player” during games they were working the previous day.
Sources
- Arizona Sportslink
- Bozeman Daily Chroniclelink
- CBS Sportslink
- ESPN La Crosse 105.5link
- Espnlink
- Front Office Sportslink
- Los Angeles Timeslink
- NBC Sportslink
- Oskaloosa Heraldlink
- PinalCentral.comlink
- Pro Football Networklink
- Sports Business Journallink
- The Sun Chroniclelink
- NBC Newslink
- Cidraplink
- The Pat McAfee Show — video link