It’s no secret that NFL referees are supposed to be unbiased officials with no rooting interest or fan leanings. But that was apparently not exactly the case in Sunday afternoon’s game between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a referee could be seen getting an autograph from Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans after the game.
In a video filmed by Panthers beat reporter Sheena Quick, referees Jeff Lamberth and Tripp Sutter can be seen meeting Evans in the tunnel with Lamberth handing something to Evans, appearing to ask for his autograph.
I didn’t know refs get autographs after the game. pic.twitter.com/4IgUHIiAgz
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) October 23, 2022
Eek. pic.twitter.com/tduGSEYzuk
— Sheena Quick (@Sheena_Marie3) October 23, 2022
Understandably video absolutely shocked the NFL world and has since gone totally viral. Fans across the country took to Twitter to express their surprise and blast the refs for their antics.
Look, we are all football fans. But autograph seeking, even if in the tunnel, cannot be tolerated. SJ Jeff Lamberth (21st season) and LJ Tripp Sutter (4) know better. This may be the last season for Lamberth, but that's no excuse to cross a line like thispic.twitter.com/CboOAH3Jr8
— Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs🇺🇦 (@footballzebras) October 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/FunnyMaine/status/1584270962689990656?s=20&t=_ZOz13E8PBWmjgmo7gkBmw
Maybe he was just signing his card after 18 holes… https://t.co/PofRWTJpJB
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) October 23, 2022
NFL Officiating is clearly a very serious profession pic.twitter.com/qWbWQCtHfA
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) October 23, 2022
Imma need to keep my eyes on these refs before I place my bets pic.twitter.com/PFTTPLcguC
— liv (@livmoods) October 23, 2022
I don't know what people are mad about. Haven't the refs always been on the Bucs' payroll? That's what the nerds on the internet say. https://t.co/GrltEI8Zep
— Scotty Millard (@scootsie34) October 24, 2022
While it’s certainly not a good look for a referee – who is supposed to be an unbiased and objective party – to be seeking autographs from star players, it clearly didn’t impact the game all that much as Evans and the Buccaneers suffered a stunning loss to the Carolina Panthers despite entering the game as 14-point favorites.
Still, this is something the NFL referees will likely want to address to make sure it doesn’t happen in the futur.
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