“Consistency is all we’re asking for” MCAFEE

“We’re all adults here. We’re all professionals here. We all understand that sometimes there’s going to be some mistakes and heated moments,” Pat McAfee said.

On the October 5 edition of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee questioned the different treatment of heated exchanges involving officials, players and coaches. The discussion centered on an official’s apparent use of profanity toward Cardinals tight end Trey McBride and the unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty assessed to Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.

McAfee said he did not object to officials responding to players in the language they sometimes receive themselves. His objection was penalizing a coach for an exchange he considered part of that same relationship.

“I don’t think this should be a flag,” McAfee said of Vrabel’s penalty.

“This is the communication process that is going to probably happen in professional sports with billions of dollars on the line with humans trying to make decisions in real time.”

A.J. Hawk questioned how officials determine when language crosses the line.

“If you’re going to start flagging people for language, where do you draw the line? What cuss word is bad enough to draw a flag?” Hawk asked.

At around the 3:15 mark, Hawk asked whether an official’s mood or the energy in the stadium affected the decision.

“What makes this a flag?” he asked.

TSP’s joking response: “Well, maybe the gambling companies are determining when it’s a flag, but that’s neither here nor there.”

Hawk also wanted an explanation when a player or coach is fined for language.

“Type it up in my fine letter and let me know why this crossed the line.”

McAfee compared the relationship he wanted to the exchanges between NHL players and officials.

“We’re not saying they’re not important and we don’t like them and respect them, but it’s like come on, consistency is all we’re asking for,” he said.

The panel also objected to the volume of flags. Jacksonville and Cincinnati combined for 16 first-half penalties for 149 yards in Sunday’s game.

Adam Schefter, asked about potential consequences for the officials’ exchanges with players, said their responsibility was different.

“I don’t think that you could have the officials captured on camera the way they were yesterday and not have there be some sort of ramifications from that,” Schefter said.

He cited Tedy Bruschi’s argument on Get Up that officials should meet a higher standard because they are responsible for keeping the game under control.

McAfee later said Schefter had made him soften his position.

“We don’t know what Trey said to him,” McAfee acknowledged.

The NFL later announced two-game and one-game suspensions for Jeff Seeman and Adrian Hill, respectively, over their conduct toward players.