Two officials will sit out games after separate run-ins with players in Week 4 for their conduct on Sunday. Ramon George, the NFL’s vice president of officiating, announced on Monday that line judge Jeff Seeman was suspended for two games and referee Adrian Hill was suspended for one game for “unprofessional conduct toward a player” on Sunday.

Seeman was involved in a heated discussion with Cardinals tight end Trey McBride with less than five minutes to go in the Cardinals' 36-24 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

 On Arizona’s third-and-2 pass from Jacoby Brissett, Giants defender Andru Phillips got his hands on McBride before the ball got there. The officials did not throw a flag for pass interference or illegal contact, which drew ire from McBride and led to what appeared to be Seeman cursing at him on national television. There was no ejection or flag, which has the NFL looking into the incident.

After a Minnesota penalty call halfway through the first quarter, Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II shoved Wilson into Hill, who got up and pointed at Wilson, at which time another official got between the two. Wilson said he apologized and explained what happened, which Hill said was OK with him, adding he does not want players to fight.

NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter said on social media that this kind of behavior from an official toward a player is unacceptable. He added that players are held accountable when the roles are reversed, and that the union expects the league to apply the same standard to officials.

Seeman has been in the NFL’s officiating ranks since 2002. Hill joined the league in 2010. Suspensions for referees for their treatment of a player are rare.

Written by

Lakshya