Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans may not have given an official an autograph on his way to the locker room after Sunday’s game, but the reason for the interaction is still troublesome for the NFL.
A video that went viral on social media showed two NFL officials — side judge Jeff Lamberth and line judge Tripp Sutter — tracking down Evans in the tunnel after Tampa Bay’s 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers. One of the refs yelled to Evans before handing him a piece of paper and a pen. Evans then wrote something on the paper. You can see the video here.
The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFL Players Association prohibits officials from asking any member of a team for autographs or memorabilia, which is why the NFL investigated. The league issued a statement on Tuesday saying the officials were not seeking an autograph and were “reminded of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety when interacting with players, coaches and club staff on game day.”
So what was Evans writing? Lamberth, like Evans, is a Texas A&M alum. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Lamberth was getting Evans’ phone number to pass it along to a golf pro so Evans could set up some lessons.
The NFL said in its statement that both Jeff Lamberth and line judge Tripp Sutter “have been reminded of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety when interacting with players, coaches, and club staff on gameday…”
In other words: Bad look. No discipline.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 25, 2022
Is that really a better look for the NFL? If seeking an autograph is considered bad optics, hooking up a player with a connection for golf lessons might be even worse. We’re not saying anyone should be punished, but the NFL cannot be happy about that exchange and where it took place.
This is not the first time there have been questions about the NFL’s dealings with Evans this season.
