The league is reviewing a sideline exchange after Arizona tight end Trey McBride protested a no-call on third down during Sunday's game against the New York Giants.
The NFL is reviewing an incident involving a game official and Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride during Sunday's game against the New York Giants. McBride voiced his displeasure after a third-down incompletion, believing pass interference should have been called. In footage that quickly spread online, the referee appears to respond with an expletive.
NFL Players Association president JC Tretter called the official's conduct unacceptable. He said players are consistently held accountable when they speak similarly to officials and called on the league to apply the same standard to referees.
The exchange has drawn comparisons with a recent incident involving New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. During the Patriots' win over the Buffalo Bills, Vrabel was penalized for saying something similar to an official. The penalty helped set up a Buffalo touchdown. Vrabel later said he had used the expression 87 times in his coaching career and did not mean it as an insult. He suggested the official had been sensitive, while acknowledging that he probably should not have sworn and saying he had apologized.
The NFL has not announced how it will handle the McBride incident.