NFL Explains What Mike Evans Was Exchanging With Refs Involves a Golf Pro

Mike Evans is involved in a pretty unusual story.

Two NFL officials are under the microscope over their actions following the Carolina Panthers’ 21-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 on Sunday. A video shot by a reporter showed two officials speaking with Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans in the tunnel of Bank of America Stadium.  According to the tweet, they were asking Mike Evans to sign something. According to NFL Media, the league was reviewing the incident involving those refs, who were identified as side judge Jeff Lamberth and line judge Tripp Sutter.

See the incident below:

On Tuesday, the NFL provided an update and responded that the interaction apparently had nothing to do with an autograph request.

“After speaking with the individuals involved, we have confirmed that the postgame interaction between Jeff Lamberth, Tripp Sutter, and Mike Evans did not involve a request by the game officials for an autograph,” the NFL said in a statement.

Side judge Jeff Lamberth and Evans both went to Texas A&M and his number was being retrieved to pass along to a golf pro.

This is just not a good look for the NFL.  Refs and players should have absolutely no interaction off the field with one another. There’s far too much at stake with all the gambling money coming in these days, and the last thing the NFL needs is a gambling scandal.

The whole Golf pro explanations sounds a little peculiar.

The Buccaneers fell to 3-4 on the year with the loss to the Panthers. Mike Evans led the Bucs with nine receptions for 96 yards.


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