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The NFL suspended two of its game officials Monday for their on-field actions in separate incidents Sunday involving players.
The league suspended line judge Jeff Seeman for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one game, saying that each punishment was “for an instance of unprofessional conduct toward a player” in Sunday’s games.
The NFL said the suspensions were issued by Ramon George, the league’s vice president of officiating.
The NFL Referees Association did not immediately reply to a request for comment by Front Office Sports.
It was not immediately clear whether the officials or the NFLRA will file a grievance over the suspensions, which they’re entitled to do.
The NFL and the NFLRA agreed in May to a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement to avoid a work stoppage. The NFL had made contingency plans to use replacement officials and expand the use of instant replay in officiating this season if such a deal had not been struck.
Seeman appeared to curse at Cardinals tight end Trey McBride following a fourth-quarter play during a game at MetLife Stadium involving the Giants. The officials had not called a penalty on a Giants defender on the play. McBride was back on the sideline by the time the exchange took place.
The incident was caught on camera and prompted a response Sunday by JC Tretter, the executive director of the NFL Players Association.
“This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable,” Tretter wrote Sunday on social media. “Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard.”
The NFL had said Sunday that it was looking into the matter.
The NFLPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday by FOS.
Hill reacted angrily after being knocked to the ground, apparently inadvertently, by Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson on a play that was whistled dead because of a penalty. Wilson was being blocked by a Dolphins player and collided with Hill, who got to his feet and gestured at Wilson while appearing to yell at him.
