Refs weren’t looking for Buccaneers WR Mike Evans’ autograph

A postgame interplay between two recreation officers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans didn’t contain a request for an autograph, the NFL mentioned in an announcement Tuesday.

Following the Buccaneers’ 21-3 loss Sunday to the Carolina Panthers, 1340 AM Fox Sports captured video of facet choose Jeff Lamberth and line choose Tripp Sutter calling Evans’ identify. Evans then wrote one thing on a card they handed him.

The collective bargaining settlement between the NFL and NFL Referees Affiliation prohibits recreation officers from approaching gamers and coaches for autographs, citing the looks of partiality. Officers can search autographs and memorabilia for charitable functions, however these requests should undergo the league’s officiating division.

Following conversations with the people concerned, nonetheless, the league decided that Lamberth and Sutter weren’t asking for an autograph. The league didn’t specify why they known as out to Evans nor what was mentioned throughout the interplay.

A request for remark from the NFLRA was not instantly returned.

The NFL assertion made no point out of self-discipline for both official, however the league did add: “Each Lamberth and Sutter have been reminded of the significance of avoiding even the looks of impropriety when interacting with gamers, coaches, and membership workers on gameday — together with throughout the pregame and postgame time intervals.”

Lamberth is in his twenty first NFL season, and Sutter is in his fourth.