The NFL’s stone tables have one very clear commandment to players.
Thou shalt not say anything mean about the officials.
In addition to the fine that was imposed on Texans running back Joe Mixon for what he didn’t say and the fine that was imposed on Mixon for what he did say, the NFL imposed a $25,000 fine on Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. for publicly criticizing officials.
Said Anderson after the loss to the Chiefs, “We knew it was going to be us against the refs going into this game.”
What he said isn’t as strong as what Mixon didn’t say, but it’s a hair stronger (maybe) than what Mixon did say.
The initial Mixon fine was based on this comment from former Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh said, “Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with Chiefs. These officials are trash and bias.”
The second Mixon fine was based on this, which he did say: “Everybody knows how it is playing up here. You can never leave it in the refs’ hands. The whole world see, man.”
The players have every right to be miffed. As the league has previously said, Raiders owner Tom Brady can be fined only if he says something during Fox broadcasts that is “egregiously critical of officiating or call[s] into question the integrity of an official or the crew.”
“Egregious” means “extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant.”
Were Mixon’s comments egregiously critical? Were Anderson’s?
So either the NFL applies a different standard to owners like Brady, or the NFL has fined Mixon and Anderson for egregious criticism that was hardly “extraordinary in some bad way” or “glaring” or “flagrant.”
Either way, it seems excessive to fine Mixon and Anderson. Some would call it egregious.
And the fines ultimately serve only to shine a brighter light on the persistent flaws in the NFL’s officiating function.
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