NFL Referees Association pushes back on 'excessive' suspensions of two officials image
The behavior of NFL officials has been in the spotlight over the past few days.
On Sunday of Week 4, in separate incidents, referees Adrian Hill and Jeff Seeman were seen having out-of-the-ordinary interactions with players. While Hill was seen angrily yelling at Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson, Seeman was caught by broadcast cameras screaming some expletives at Cardinals tight end Trey McBride.
In response, the NFL handed out suspensions for both Hill and Seeman — but now, the NFL Referees Association is pushing back on the league for that decision.
Here's what the NFL Referees Association is arguing
MORE:What to know about suspensions for two NFL officials
NFL Referees Association pushes back on 'excessive' suspensions
On Monday, the NFL announced a two-game suspension for Seeman for his NSFW exchange with McBride, and a one-game suspension for Hill after berating Wilson in the Vikings-Dolphins matchup.
According to Tom Pelissero, now, the NFL Referees Association is pushing back on those suspensions, believing they were "excessive and inconsistent with past precedent." The organization is now planning to challenge the severity of the suspensions and meet with the NFL Officiating Department and NFL Players Association leadership "to address on-field conduct and the growing levels of confrontation between players and officials."
“NFL officials have a responsibility to conduct themselves professionally on the field, and the actions in these incidents fell short of that standard. Accountability matters, but that should not result in discipline that is excessive or inconsistent with established precedent,' NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green said in a statement, per Pelissero. “Officials are routinely subjected to highly charged interactions and, at times, verbal abuse from players and coaches. While that never excuses misconduct by an official, it shouldn't be dismissed as simply part of the game.
"The League expects the highest level of professionalism from its officials, and it should demand the same from everyone on the field. We will defend the principle that discipline must be fair, consistent and proportionate. Holding officials accountable while ignoring or minimizing the conduct directed at them is neither fair nor an effective way to address this issue. We look forward to working with the League and NFLPA toward that shared goal.”
It remains unclear whether the NFLRA's criticism will have any impact on the NFL's suspensions for Hill and Seeman. But at minimum, more conversations about how officials interact with players are expected to take place.