NFL refs investigated for post-game Mike Evans autograph

Earlier than they ever officiate an expert sport, NFL officers have the league’s practically 300-page rulebook drilled into their hippocampus. Which is why we all know the 2 officers captured on video showing to gather an autograph from Tampa Bay Bucs receiver Mike Evans needed to have identified higher.

Following Sunday’s Panthers-Buccaneers sport, two officers recognized as facet choose Jeff Lamberth and line choose Tripp Sutter tracked down Evans for what seemed to be an autograph. The movies, taken by Carolina Panthers reporter Sheena Fast of FOX Sports activities Radio 1340, have already sparked an investigation by the league workplace, in response to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

There’s been no affirmation that Evans was requested to signal an autograph, however the NFL’s investigation alerts that this was not a routine motion for officers.

There may be completely no motive an official must be autograph-seeking in the midst of the tunnel after a sport, if that’s certainly what occurred. The looks of fraternization with gamers creates a cloud of suspicion that the league would moderately keep away from. Gathering Evans’ John Hancock, allegedly, didn’t result in a Bucs victory, as they have been upset by the Panthers. Evans’ dropped landing and Tom Brady’s ineffectiveness did the Bucs in, however it does breach the strict skilled boundaries that the NFL has in place.

Apparently, Lamberth, in his twenty first season as an official, and Sutter, in his fourth, knew who to ask, and Evans obliged with out pondering twice. Nonetheless, a number of onlookers gawked on the alternate whereas they headed again to the locker room. This additionally didn’t seem like an impromptu signing. The officers spot Evans, name his title, get him to signal, and stroll their separate methods after fewer than 15 seconds, which supplies the looks that the officials had mentioned one thing with Evans earlier than getting into the tunnel.

Essentially the most galling a part of this incident is that the extreme precedent for violating the non-autograph offense is well-known. Earlier than a 1995 sport between the Packers and Buccaneers, sport official Jerry Bergman messed round and located it. Bergman, a 30-year-veteran official, sought Brett Favre out to autograph eight soccer playing cards for his grandson. I don’t know if it’s worse that he went trying to find Favre or that he was hounding gamers earlier than the sport. Reportedly, Bergman had additionally requested for autographs from working again Errict Rhett and LB Hardy Nickerson, who declined. Nickerson was ejected by official Walt Coleman within the fourth quarter for his function in a combat. For his half, Bergman was fined and disciplined, however by no means labored one other NFL sideline once more.

Bergman is the one fashionable NFL official punished for autograph-seeking on the job, however even Rhett and different Bucs teammates acknowledged that Bergman wasn’t the primary to ask. Within the 30 years since an instance was fabricated from Bergman, no officers have been caught, partly as a result of they haven’t been irresponsible sufficient to ask for it in plain view of media and recording gadgets.

I imply, take a look at these guys. Shouting out Mike within the tunnel after which asking Evans to signal your scrap paper, allegedly, prefer it’s a highschool yearbook is amateurish. They’re as giddy as youngsters for Mike Lynn Evans III. You gotta be kidding me. No offense to Mike and his eight-consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, however it’s extremely poor judgment for an official to threat his six-figure wage for an autograph from somebody who simply dropped a possible 75-yard landing with 11 yards of separation between him and the closest nook. How far has Tom Brady fallen? There are two classes for officers to take from this. Don’t threat your job for anybody not within the prime 20 of the latest NFL 100. And even then, you’d need to do it extra surreptitiously. The questions now are what is going to the NFL do, and can they hold their jobs?