https://www.yahoo.com/news/report-matthews-among-three-fined-013928618.html
Report: Matthews among three fined for criticizing refs
Reuters • October 19, 2019
The NFL fined three players for comments in the last week criticizing officiating in league games.
Los Angeles Rams linebacker Clay Matthews, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker were all fined $12,500 by the league after each voiced an opinion on the state of the referees in the game.
Mayfield and Walker were fined for post-game comments Sunday, while ESPN reported Matthews was cited for a tweet posted Monday, during the Detroit Lions’ controversial loss to Matthews’ old team, the Green Bay Packers.
“The storyline for the 2019 season continues to be the refs inability to make the accurate and correct calls week in and week out. Al Riveron continues to blindly side with his refs and the current status quo. Something must change! Zero accountability,” Matthews tweeted, a day after the Rams lost 20-7 to the San Francisco 49ers and while the NFL was being roundly criticized for the officiating in the Monday night football game between the Lions and Packers.
Riveron is a former referee and the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Officiating.
Mayfield was cited for comments made after the Browns’ 32-28 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in reference to a question about a penalty on Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry for a blindside block.
“The refs are never an excuse,” Mayfield replied to the question. “I will probably get fined for saying this, but it was pretty bad today. The guy is squared up with him, running at him and he is lowering his head into Jarvis. What is supposed to do? Avoid him? This is not bullfighting. I don’t know. It ticks me off.”
In Walker’s case, he was defending his view of what happened when he was flagged for unnecessary roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison during the Lions’ 23-22 loss.
“I felt like I went for the ball and just so happened we collided, but I was looking for the ball,” Walker said. “It was an awful call by them. It is what it is, though.”
–Field Level Media
What if nearly 100% of them got fined? They should stick together and just do it!
Nothing is going to happen unless it affects the bottom line.
Fans aren’t boycotting NFL products or NFL games because of it. They aren’t, so it isn’t a priority.
An easy fix would be to have a ref or two up in the booth watching the game and watching the game on replay. When a flag is thrown, they watch the replays and verify the penalty or negate it and the game goes on. So it adds 5 minutes to the game…big deal. It doesn’t need to be drawn out like replay is now. The on field officials would have no input on it.
The current replay system is a joke. Some guy is hanging out eating chips and salsa and drinking beer when he gets a buzz to watch a play. At least that is how it seems.
In Walker’s case, he was defending his view of what happened when he was flagged for unnecessary roughness for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison during the Lions’ 23-22 loss.
“I felt like I went for the ball and just so happened we collided, but I was looking for the ball,” Walker said. “It was an awful call by them. It is what it is, though.”
Riveron is a complete joke as is the band aid fixes that Goodell blindly installs, every God damn season. Is it really any wonder that the product is complete garbage to watch? My Sundays have been anally raped…
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