TAMPA, Fla. — The NFL has found the two officials who appeared to be seeking an autograph from Bucs receiver Mike Evans immediately after Sunday’s game against the Panthers were guilty only of bad optics.
The league released a statement Tuesday morning stating that the interaction between Evans and veteran officials Jeff Lamberth and Tripp Sutter did not involve an autograph request. Evans confirmed those findings Tuesday afternoon.
“I wasn’t signing my autograph, I’ll tell you that,” the ninth-year veteran said.
“I talk to a lot of officials. We’re all human beings. (Lamberth) is a nice guy, that’s all. We were just talking about golf; that’s all we were talking about.”
Neither Evans nor the league specified what the player wrote on the slip of paper handed to him, but it’s believed he jotted down a phone number. The 2018-2019 NFL officials roster indicates Lamberth hails from The Woodlands, Texas, located near Evans’ hometown of Galveston.
Both attended Texas A&M.
“Both Lamberth and Sutter have been reminded of the importance of avoiding even the appearance of impropriety when interacting with players, coaches and club staff on game day — including during the pregame and postgame time periods,” the NFL statement said.
The viral video of the brief interaction (filmed by a reporter for Charlotte-based 1340-AM Fox Sports) showed the officials calling out to Evans as he headed to the team locker room immediately following Sunday’s 21-3 loss to the Panthers. When Evans stopped, the officials handed him a pen and slip of paper, on which Evans wrote something.
The NFL and NFL Referees Association prohibits officials from approaching team personnel — players and coaches — for autographs.
