We're still sorting out the aftermath of a really bad look for NFL official Jeff Seeman from this past Sunday. Video captured the side judge appearing to swear at Arizona Cardinals star tight end Trey McBride
, which NFL Players Association (NFLPA) executive director J.C. Tretter later condemned as unacceptable. In a situation now being evaluated by both the NFL and NFLPA, the only saving grace Seeman might have had is if McBride showed him unnecessary disrespect first.We now know that was decidedly not the case.
According to CBS sideline reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala, who worked the Cardinals' game with the New York Giants, McBride was simply lobbying for a pass interference call. He was upset like any player arguing for a call might be, but he never
crossed a line with profanity. He was just pleading his case. In other words, McBride was in an extremely normal, common situation that probably happens many times between officials and players every NFL Sunday.
It was clearly only Seeman who had an undue response to said normal conversation:
I was standing right there. What’s wild is that it all started with Trey McBride saying “please” when pleading his case for a PI flag. He was heated for sure, but I never heard a curse from him. The harshest he got was, “You’re ruining the game.” https://t.co/uvKzzxtq45
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) October 5, 2026
At the time of this writing, the NFL's and NFLPA's respective investigations into this McBride-Seeman incident are still ongoing. So it's unclear whether Seeman will face any discipline, if at all. However, it should be noted that a first-hand account like this from a professional, impartial reporter certainly won't help his case. This is just another strike against an official who got caught on camera being way too heated and way too emotional with a player.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: CBS reporter revealed what Trey McBride said to NFL official who swore at him
