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NFL says crippled officials didn't question Evans' autograph (0:16)
Take a look arsenic officials Jeff Lamberth and Tripp Sutter look to inquire Mike Evans for thing successful the passageway postgame. (0:16)
11:30 AM ET
Kevin SeifertESPN Staff Writer
- ESPN.com nationalist NFL writer
- ESPN.com NFC North reporter, 2008-2013
- Covered Vikings for Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1999-2008
A postgame enactment betwixt 2 crippled officials and Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans did not impact a petition for an autograph, the NFL said successful a connection Tuesday.
Following the Buccaneers' 21-3 loss Sunday to the Carolina Panthers, 1340 AM Fox Sports captured video of broadside justice Jeff Lamberth and enactment justice Tripp Sutter calling Evans' name. Evans past wrote thing connected a paper they handed him.
Following conversations with the individuals involved, however, the league determined that Lamberth and Sutter weren't asking for an autograph. The league did not specify wherefore they called retired to Evans nor what was said during the interaction. In effect to a follow-up question, an NFL spokesperson said the league had nary different details to share.
"I wasn't signing my autograph, I'll archer you that," Evans told reporters Tuesday. "I speech to a batch of officials, we're each quality beings. He's a bully guy, truthful we was talking astir golf. That's each we was talking about."
NFL Network reported Tuesday that Lamberth, similar Evans, went to Texas A&M and wanted the receiver's telephone fig to springiness to a play nonrecreational truthful helium could springiness Evans lessons. Lamberth didn't person a paper for Evans to constitute his fig on, truthful helium borrowed 1 from Sutter, according to NFL Network.
The NFL connection made nary notation of subject for either official, but the league did add: "Both Lamberth and Sutter person been reminded of the value of avoiding adjacent the quality of impropriety erstwhile interacting with players, coaches, and nine unit connected gameday -- including during the pregame and postgame clip periods."
A petition for remark from the NFLRA was not instantly returned.
The corporate bargaining statement betwixt the NFL and the NFL Referees Association prohibits crippled officials from approaching players and coaches for autographs, citing the quality of partiality. Officials tin question autographs and memorabilia for charitable purposes, but those requests indispensable spell done the league's officiating department.
Lamberth is successful his 21st NFL season, and Sutter is successful his fourth.
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