The NFL Referees' Association is challenging the pair of bans handed out to the league for line judge Jeff Seeman and referee Adrian Hill following separate incidents involving players Sunday, Oct. 4 and wants to meet with the NFL's officiating department to discuss the league's disciplinary standards.
NFL vice president of officiating Ramon George issued the suspensions "for an instance of unprofessional conduct toward a player" to both Seeman, who was given a two-game ban, and Hill, suspended for one game. Seeman was caught on camera cursing at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, while Hill responded aggressively after Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson accidentally bumped into him.
“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. “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.”
The NFLRA also said it plans to meet with the NFL Players' Association to address on-field conduct and defusing confrontations between refs and players.
Complicating matters is that the officials have never been more involved in the game. Week 4 alone saw 271 accepted penalties, the second-most for any week dating back to 1978, when tracking data began. Through the first four weeks of the season, the NFL has seen the most accepted penalties ever in that span.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL refs union calls suspensions 'excessive' after on-field incidents
