NFL suspends two officials for unprofessional conduct toward players
Line judge Jeff Seaman received a two-game suspension and referee Adrian Hill a one-game suspension after incidents involving Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride and Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson.
The NFL announced on Monday that line judge Jeff Seaman will miss two games after video footage showed him yelling at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride. Referee Adrian Hill was suspended for one game after his attempt to intervene with Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson resulted in the official unintentionally knocking the player down. Both penalties were described by NFL vice president of officiating Ramon George as "unprofessional conduct toward a player."
NFL Players Association executive director J.C. Tretter said the behavior was "unacceptable" and called for officials to be held to the same standards as players. Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell praised Hill’s overall performance, calling him a "really good official" and expressed confidence the incident could be moved past.
In a separate incident, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel received an unsportsmanlike penalty after he verbally criticized an official, a decision he said surprised him.