When New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel cursed out an official last week for a defensive holding penalty he described as a “terrible ...effing call,” it was hardly the first time he’d complained to that level.
“I’ve said that 87 times since I’ve been a head coach,” Vrabel said.“It was nothing derogatory.” It earned Vrabel an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty all the same and led him to call the official “a little sensitive.”Tension between officials and those who must abide by their rules has existed since sports began and is so commonplace as to go mostly unremarked.
But five weeks into the new NFL season, that’s no longer the case.Rare public suspensions, numerous flags and rescinded fines have made those who set and enforce the rules as much of a discussion topic as the league’s more visible stars.
Games have averaged 15 penalties, the third-highest leaguewide average through Week 4 since the 1970 merger, according to research by NBC Sports.The number of total fouls called per game, 16.86, is down from the 17.44 that were called at the same point of last season, according to a league spokesman.
That still is higher than the number of fouls called through Week 4 in 2024 (15.52), 2023 (15.34) and 2022 (14.38).Penalties are only one reason officials are in the spotlight.The NFL this week took the rare public step of announcing suspensions of two officials after line judge Jeff Seeman was shown on camera cursing multiple times toward Arizona tight end Trey McBride, leading to a two-game suspension.Referee Adrian Hill also was suspended, for one game, for his contentious reaction to Minnesota’s Eric Wilson after accidental contact knocked Hill to the ground.
The NFL said the instances reflected “unprofessional conduct,” while the union that represents NFL officials vowed to challenge the discipline, calling it “excessive and inconsistent with past precedent.” Coaches including Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell and Arizona’s M...