The NFL has thrown a flag on two of its own.
Line judge Jeff Seeman has been suspended for two games for cursing at Cardinals tight end Trey McBride when Arizona visited to face the Giants at MetLife Stadium, and referee Adrian Hill was handed a one-game ban for angrily snapping back at Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson after an unintentional collision.
The league characterized both disciplinary acts as a response to “unprofessional conduct toward a player.”
The actions of Seeman in particular drew an immediate response from NFLPA Executive Director JC Tretter, who demanded the league take action.
“This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable,” Tretter said of Seeman’s profane conduct towards McBride. “Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard.”
CBS reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala, who was standing on the sideline when McBride and Seeman had their dispute, gave her account of the events leading to the argument.
“What’s wild is that it all started with Trey McBride saying ‘please’ when pleading his case for a PI flag. He was heated for sure, but I never heard a curse from him. The harshest he got was, ‘You’re ruining the game,’” Kinkhabwala said.
In another incident on Sunday, an official gave Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel a 15-yard penalty for using an f-bomb when complaining about a call. Even though Vrabel did not use the word in a derogatory manner toward the official.