NFL officials were suspended after separate incidents occurred involving players in two different games this past weekend, and one former Super Bowl-winning head coach was a bit “surprised” by what happened.
Bruce Arians, who won the Super Bowl alongside Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the team’s head coach in 2021, knows that things can get heated with referees on game days.
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However, under the new collective bargaining agreement between the referees and the NFL, the league has the right to take action when they deem a line was crossed – no matter which side did so.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior advisor to the general manager Bruce Arians looks on before the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1, 2023, in Tampa, Fla. (Getty Images)
The NFL suspended line judge Jeff Seeman for 2 games and referee Adrian Hill for 1 game due to “unprofessional conduct toward a player.” For Seeman, he was seen in a late-game exchange with Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride, where he clearly mouthed a couple obscenities toward the tight end, who had been frustrated over an unflagged contact play on third down.
As for Hill, he got frustrated after Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon blocked Vikings’ linebacker Eric Willson into him, which knocked the official to the ground. Hill stood up and confronted Wilson immediately face-to-face before ordering him to go back to the huddle.
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“This kind of behavior from an official towards a player is unacceptable,” NFL Players Association Executive Director JC Tretter shared on social media. “Players are consistently held accountable when the roles are reversed. We expect the NFL to hold officials to the same standard.”
Arians saw the altercations as well, and he gave OutKick his take on it during a recent interview.
“I did see it and I am surprised a little bit because there was never accountability before,” he said, while also highlighting his work with Novartis and early prostate cancer screenings for their new initiative. “Under the new collective bargaining agreement with officials, there’s a lot more accountability and I’m glad to see that.
Game officials Jeff Seeman, John Hussey, Tony Michalek and Derrick Bowers talk during the first half of the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 1, 2024. (Getty Images)
“I’ve had many, many run-ins with the referees. I’m legendary in that part, you know. They’d come over [and say], ‘Please, just don’t spit on me, coach.’ I’d be hollering and screaming at them. But, yeah, it’s a great thing I think.”
As he said, Arians had dust-ups with officials during his lengthy tenure in the league, but that’s something seen on game days all the time. He was surprised, however, to see it occur with players, who usually let the coaches do the yelling for him.
“I was surprised it was more with a player than a coach, because coaches can go way overboard,” Arians explained. “But I think that’s a very, very important thing that the NFL now has control.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on May 1, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
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It seems the league didn’t want to handle this behind the scenes, but rather sent a broader message with these two suspensions: acts like this by officials won’t be tolerated moving forward.
Arians believes that is the right balance to have in the sport.
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