NFL looking into interaction between refs, Bucs WR Evans

Posted October 24, 2022 7:00 am

By STEVE REED

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - The NFL said it is looking into what transpired between two game officials and Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans in the tunnel of Bank of America Stadium after the Buccaneers' 21-3 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

A reporter captured a video of side judge Jeff Lamberth and line judge Tripp Sutter approaching Evans as he is making his way toward the locker room.

There is a short inaudible exchange between the game officials and Evans, before the player turns around and is handed a slip of paper. A second video posted by a reporter from 1340 AM Fox Sports appears to show Evans writing something as Lamberth stood next to him while Tampa Bay players walked past them to the locker room.

According to the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association game officials are not allowed to 'œask players, coaches or any other team personnel for autographs or memorabilia.'ť

In addition, game officials are not allowed 'œto sell or trade NFL tickets for anything of greater value than the face value of the tickets'ť or 'œsell or trade for anything of value NFL merchandise, autographs or memorabilia.'ť

The CBA goes on to stipulate that they recognize game officials may need to obtain player autographs or team merchandise or memorabilia for personal or charitable purposes, but said that such requests should be made through the officiating department and never to a player or team employee directly.

Lamberth is in his 20th season as an NFL official, while Sutter in his fourth.

It's unclear what, if any, potential punishments the game officials could face if they received an autograph from Evans.

___

More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, right, hangs onto a pass as Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson, left, makes the stop during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Football NFL NHL Pro Sports Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.