Usually it’s the players getting flagged, fined and suspended. This week, the zebras got a taste of their own medicine.
The NFL has suspended line judge Jeff Seeman for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one game over separate instances of unprofessional conduct toward a player. The punishments were handed down by Ramon George, the league’s vice president of officiating.
A heated moment in Arizona’s loss
Seeman’s trouble started during the Arizona Cardinals’ 36-24 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday. Cameras caught the line judge apparently cursing at Cardinals tight end Trey McBride.
The flare-up came on a third-and-8 play. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett’s pass fell incomplete, and McBride believed Giants cornerback Dru Phillips had interfered with him. After taking a hit, McBride complained to Seeman, who appeared to yell a profanity right back at him, according to video of the incident.
Here’s the thing: Players get punished for that kind of outburst all the time. When the roles are reversed, it’s bound to raise some eyebrows.
A coach’s mixed feelings
Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur walked a careful line when asked about the incident Monday. He called it a tough one and said nobody likes to see something like that, but he also said he wanted to give Seeman a little grace. LaFleur said he knows Seeman personally and considers him a good man, while making it clear the moment was unfortunate and simply can’t happen.
Translation: disappointed, not furious. In coach-speak, that’s about as diplomatic as it gets.
Players want the NFL to hold officials accountable
The players’ union wasn’t nearly as forgiving. After the McBride incident, NFLPA executive director JC Tretter posted a statement on X calling for officials to face the same level of scrutiny as players. Tretter called the behavior unacceptable, noted that players are consistently held accountable when the situation is flipped and said he expects the league to hold officials to the same standard.
Whether or not that statement played a role, the league did act. Two officials are now headed to the bench, at least temporarily.
An awkward collision in Minnesota
Hill’s suspension stems from a very different scene during the Minnesota Vikings’ 15-10 win over the visiting Miami Dolphins.
Midway through the first quarter, a third-and-10 play was whistled dead because of a Minnesota penalty. Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II then drove Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson away from quarterback Malik Willis and straight into Hill, knocking the referee to the ground. Ouch.
When Wilson tried to help him up, Hill jumped to his feet, pointing and yelling at the linebacker to get away. Not exactly the thank-you card Wilson was expecting.
No hard feelings in the Vikings locker room
Wilson, for his part, laughed the whole thing off. He told reporters in the locker room that he found the moment funny and that he apologized to Hill and explained what had happened. According to Wilson, Hill was cool about it and understood the situation. The referee told him he just didn’t want Wilson and Gordon fighting and was trying to break them up.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that he didn’t get a great view of the play, but he stood up for Hill anyway. O’Connell called him a really good official who does a really good job and described the incident as a quick moment he hopes everyone can put behind them.
So, did the league get it right? Officials are supposed to be the calm in the middle of the storm, and most weeks they are. But this week’s suspensions send a clear message: The NFL expects the people in stripes to keep their cool, too.
