The NFL is reviewing an interaction involving two game officials and Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans following Tampa Bay’s loss to the Panthers on Sunday.
The two officials in question, side judge Jeff Lamberth and line judge Tripp Sutter, appeared to ask for Evans’ signature in the tunnel of Bank of America Stadium on Sunday. The league is examining their interaction, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
If the officials did seek Evans’ signature as it appears in the video, it could violate the agreed-upon rules between the league and the NFL Referees Association. The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFLRA specifically states game officials “shall not … ask players, coaches or any other team personnel for autographs or memorabilia.”
The Buccaneers fell to the Carolina Panthers, 21-3, on Sunday. Evans caught nine passes for 96 yards, but he dropped an early pass that likely would have resulted in a touchdown. Tampa Bay did not reach the end zone in the game.