NFL suspends referee Adrian Hill, line judge Jeff Seeman

 NFL suspends referee Adrian Hill, line judge Jeff Seeman 

NFL suspends referee Adrian Hill, line judge Jeff Seeman The NFL confirmed today that line judge Jeff Seeman has been suspended for two games and referee Adrian Hill for one game. This action was taken due to unprofessional conduct toward players during Sunday's games (Arizona vs. New York Giants and Miami vs. Minnesota).

The suspensions were announced by Ron Torbert, the NFL's Senior Vice President of Officiating. Wow. So that’s the situation: two games and two officials involved.

Yeah. I hadn't even noticed what happened in the other game. Everyone pretty much fell asleep during the Vikings vs. Dolphins match. [Laughs] So, they probably thought they’d get away with it. But that didn't happen here. Yeah.

It became a national story. And it wasn't just because they made a completely wrong call with five seconds left—prompting Trey McBride to rightly say, "You're ruining the game."

Because that is exactly what they were doing. The real issue is that an official simply cannot verbally abuse a player. That is absolutely unacceptable—swearing at a player or saying the kind of things they said.

Hmm, that just can't happen. I’ve never heard of such a thing. It was interesting to hear that AQ Shipley who was on the show this morning—had never heard of it either. Well, at least one thing is certain: football is football, and you can count on the fact that—while you might be able to shout and say whatever you want—you simply cannot curse at an official. You can't do that, because if you did, they would throw a 'flag' (penalty) on you; yet, the official can't do the same to you, and you have no recourse against them.

Yes, I believe Trey McBride didn't curse at him. No one is claiming he did, and the referee didn't throw a flag on Trey McBride either.

McBride was 100% justified in being angry because a crucial call was botched, and the error was glaringly obvious. You simply cannot have referees cursing at players; it sets a terrible precedent. Especially not in a situation like that—I’m not saying that’s exactly what happened here,

but it looks as though you had a personal issue with Trey McBride and that’s why you didn't make the call—because failing to make that call was a massive blunder. The bottom line is, either you made a huge mistake, or you have a problem with Trey McBride. And when the next video or clip surfaces showing you cursing at Trey McBride,

you can understand why the NFL said, "Yeah, we can't have you officiating games anymore... that’s not going to happen." And by the way, the matter doesn't end there, even after the two-game suspension.

You can bet there’s going to be a probationary period, too. Another scenario is when a guy is playing the ball—just throw it his way. You can simply call it pass interference. That’s why the rules exist. All of this could have been avoided. You mentioned AQ Shipley.

Regarding the analysis of the referee's behavior—that clip from this morning with Buckley and Marada... I used to have some heated exchanges with referees. But it’s a matter of respect, right? They would come over and say something to you. If they called a hold and I didn't think it was a hold—I mean, I get pretty animated about things, whatever the situation—we’d hash it out.

You’d never see an "F-U" or that kind of disrespect. And I don't know who these referees think they are. At the end of the day, your job is to officiate the game. Your job is to keep things under control.

There was no disrespect involved. I mean, if you make a call and it’s the wrong call, you’re going to hear about it from someone—whether it’s a player or a coach. That comes with the territory.

Now, if they cross the line and are disrespectful, then sure, I understand throwing a flag; but sitting there and firing back? That’s a wild exchange. Yeah, I’ve said this before. I was really glad to see that this still applies—that the respect between players and officials is still there. They don't use abusive language, and referees don't swear at the players. Because, 

once again—if you want to go there—look at YouTube [laughs], look at the kind of language being used, right? Do you want to go there? 

Is that what you're saying? Are you hurling abuse just because you want to leave the place? Are you that angry? Alright, just calm down. Look, an official doesn't hurl abuse to de-escalate a situation; their job is to throw a flag if a violation (penalty) occurs. Obviously, he couldn't do that because Trey McBride was tackled before the ball even reached him.

So, in a situation like that, his role is to defuse the tension.

In this instance, however, your crew actually contributed to worsening the situation, effectively escalating the matter further. Especially in a scenario like this, the only conclusion one can draw is—

Perhaps this gentleman wants to have a friendly chat." JC Tretter, the head of the Players Association, raised this issue online just before the Sunday night game.

He stated that such behavior from an official (match referee) towards a player is unacceptable. "Players are constantly held accountable, but when the tables are turned, we expect the NFL to hold officials—referees—to that same standard. Anyway, the league says they are reviewing the matter. So, regarding the evidence and its impact—in case you missed it—first of all, the officials overlooked the most blatant 'pass interference' violation you could ever see.

Yesterday. And then, apparently, they even swore at Trey McBride while the cameras were right there. Yes. What would you tell the listeners right now? What advice would you give them? What should they search for on Google?

Search for this on Google. Okay. If people want to see it, what would you tell them? What should they search for? Go to JC Trader's Twitter account. He posted it in slow-motion.

Okay, there it is. JC Trader's Twitter account. Right, there it is. X (formerly Twitter).

Oh, these days they call it an X account. Yes. If you just... honestly, if you just... Google 'Trey McBride,' it's the first thing that comes up.

Trey McBride's name comes up first... that's even better. It's McBride's name. There you go. Basically, it's crystal clear. You'd have to be a world-class expert at lip-reading to decipher it.

Oh, yeah. Jeff said it. Yeah, he said it. You know what? Just admit it. Own up to it. He..." ...said that. But you don't see referees (zebras) using that kind of language.

You can't do that. And I admit, it requires a great deal of self-control. Absolutely, because some players really say terrible things. I would never want to be in your shoes.

I would never want to be an NFL official—or an official at any level. It seems like a thankless job. But part of the job is that you simply cannot react that way.

And by the way, Jeff, how angry can you really get when you aren't doing your own job correctly? I mean, the mistake was yours. Anyone watching would say, "Wow, he lost his cool." You know? "His job is to stay calm."

What were they arguing about? Oh, he wasn't watching the play when Trey McBride was tackled while running. Very interesting. Jeff, that’s your second strike. He wasn't the only one involved.

It wasn't just on Jeff. That's true. The side judge couldn't make that call alone. The whole... Oh, my God. Certainly one of the worst missed calls of the season. Here is Chris Canty, who was speaking earlier today.

In this era of professional sports—where maintaining league standards is crucial, and any hint of irregularity or bias casts doubt on the game's integrity—this kind of behavior from an official, regardless of what the player said,

is objectionable and warrants strict disciplinary... Action must be taken. As players are often told, being part of the NFL is a privilege, not a right. It is clear that the league office on Park Avenue needs to re-evaluate Jeff Seaman’s privilege

of serving as an official in the National Football League. If a player acts disrespectfully or engages in a heated exchange with an official, the official can throw a 'flag' (penalty flag). They can fine the player,

or eject the player from the game. And you know what? If an official starts antagonizing a player or making sarcastic remarks, the player is powerless to do anything about it during the game. It is within your discretion

whether or not to penalize a player or disqualify them; you have complete control. But if you are going to control the game.

Damn it, you need to control yourself. You need to show some restraint. That means maintaining a professional demeanor, not hurling abuse at players. It’s unacceptable. And to have it all caught on camera, too...

Yeah, it’s embarrassing for the league. It reflects poorly on the NFL. There’s no doubt about that. Look, I played in an era where there were some guys who—well, they could get very aggressive in face-to-face confrontations. Let's put it that way...

Right. I’m just telling the truth. Back then, you got a bit more leeway...

.compared to today. No doubt about that. But good grief, I never heard a referee—a "zebra"—spew abuse at a player. Never. Nor did I ever hear them use such harsh language or profanity. I’ve never heard of anything like that before.

The Jeff Sean incident really shocked me. To be honest, I’ve heard of that in hockey—though this isn't hockey. But even there, it’s not directed *at* a player; it’s used merely for emphasis or flow during a sentence—like a figure of speech.

You know what I mean? And I suppose it’s more accepted there because it happens... but not like *this*. Not in a way where you’re screaming at a player or acting aggressively toward them.

And really, Trey McBride had every right to be angry. You just cost the Cardinals a first down because, apparently, you weren't seeing the game clearly from an official's perspective.

Yeah. Exactly. So, he had... I don't know; it didn't seem like Trey McBride said anything that crossed the line. But regardless, he had every right to be angry—

because the ball was snatched away from the Cardinals simply because they (the officials) weren't doing their jobs properly. Yeah. You know what else is amazing about this? I’m talking about the college level and even the NFL.

I have never heard a ref—a "zebra"—swear or use profanity while talking to you or about you. I’ve never heard that.And folks, you know what’s surprising about that?

That’s why, when I see people walking on the sidewalk or riding the bus today—people using foul language in front of others—it immediately catches my attention. And you know what crosses my mind?

"You want to fight? Who wants what? Who wants to fight? What’s the problem?" Because, you know what? Even when I was playing on the gridiron and looking at an opposing player... did *he* swear at you?

[Laughter] Oh man. I couldn't believe how many people used to swear at me when I was on the field. Excuse me. But never a referee. Sorry, definitely not a referee. So, when I see someone doing that, I feel like, "You can't do that. What are you doing? What..."

"What are you doing walking around here? Oh, you want to fight? Is that what you want to do? You want to smash someone's face in?" No, you cannot do that. read more 

READ MORE: NFL suspends two referees for 'unprofessional conduct' 

FAQ US:

Why was Jeff Seeman suspended?

Jeff Seeman was suspended for two games after he was caught on camera apparently swearing at Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride during Arizona’s 36-24 loss to the New York Giants on October 4. The exchange occurred after McBride protested a non-call involving possible pass interference.

Why was Adrian Hill suspended?

Adrian Hill received a one-game suspension after an incident during the Miami Dolphins–Minnesota Vikings game. Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson was accidentally pushed into Hill by Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II, knocking the referee to the ground. Hill then confronted Wilson and appeared to yell at him.

Did either official receive a penalty during the games?

Neither incident resulted in a penalty against the officials during the games. The NFL reviewed the incidents afterward and imposed suspensions for their conduct.

What did the NFL Players Association say?

NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter criticized Seeman’s interaction with McBride, saying officials should be held to the same standards as players when it comes to conduct on the field.

How long will the officials be suspended?

Seeman will miss two games, while Hill will miss one game. Reports indicate Hill can return in Week 6, while Seeman is expected to return in Week 7.

Why are these suspensions significant?

The NFL generally handles officiating discipline internally, making the public suspensions notable. The league's decision underscores that officials are also expected to maintain professional conduct when dealing with players, even during heated moments.

What is the main takeaway?

The NFL has made clear that frustration between players and officials does not excuse inappropriate conduct. Both Adrian Hill and Jeff Seeman were disciplined after separate Week 4 incidents, with Seeman receiving the longer suspension because of his interaction with McBride.