The NFL didn’t take long to make a decision on two officials from this past weekend. They suspended line judge Jeff Seeman, who was involved in an incident involving Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, and also referee Adrian Hill who had yelled at Minnesota Vikings LB Eric Wilson.
Both officials were suspended without pay.
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Regarding the McBride incident, there was a third-and-two pass attempt from QB Jacoby Brissett and McBride as time was winding
down in the fourth quarter against the New York Football Giants.
Brissett dropped back to pass, and flung it in the direction of McBride just past the first down marker on the left side. Giants nickelback Dru Phillips picked up McBride off the line, grabbed his jersey, released, and was able to bat away the pass. He was obviously all over McBride and made physical contact without the tight end catching the ball.
Before the ball even arrived, McBride was falling to the turf. For one, McBride is not a guy who flops. For another, he doesn’t fall without something making him.
Seeman was in a good position to see the play as he was standing at the 13-yard line. No flag from Seeman or the back judge, who was stationed behind Brissett and the offense. McBride then got up and walked towards Seeman, and the two jawed at each other. It is uncertain what was said, but a sideline camera captured Seeman yelling at McBride, “F*** you!” twice, if you can read lips. McBride then pointed to the camera and was pulled away from the situation by Cardinals personnel.
The NFLPA then asked the NFL to investigate and hold Seeman accountable for the verbal tirade.
J.C. Tretter, the NFL Players Association’s executive director, stated on social media:
“This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable. Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard.”
The lack of a holding or pass interference call forced the Cardinals to punt deep in their own end of the field. Seeman has worked NFL games since 2002. He is a line judge, stationed parallel to the line of scrimmage on each play. He has been a part of numerous high-profile NFL games and has worked several Super Bowls.
The league’s vice president of officiating, Ramon George, issued the suspensions.
