NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green Discusses Players Criticizing Officials

Travis Kelce caught some heat when he put official Carl Cheffers on blast following a crucial holding call in the Kansas City Chiefs' 18-16 AFC Divisional Round loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

On Tuesday, NFL Referees Association executive director Scott Green told USA Today's Tom Pelissero he views comments like the ones from Kelce—as well as others from Washington cornerback Josh Norman and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey—as signs of a troubling trend: 

"

They got all fined, and yeah, that's very concerning to us. That's different than what we've seen in the past, and it's definitely something that I want to talk to (NFL Players Association executive director) De Smith about with the players association: What is it we need to do about that?

We appreciate that the league reprimands guys for doing that, but we also like it to be known that in those instances, all those calls were correct. That, to us, is equally as important, that the public knows that just because somebody complained and said it was horrible and the guy is horrible and he shouldn't be on the field – it's important that word gets back out that, well, just so you're aware, we reviewed those plays and (the penalties) were there.

"

Kelce was fined $12,500 after he told reporters Cheffers "shouldn't even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again" and that he "shouldn't even be able to work at f--king Foot Locker," according to ESPN.com's Adam Teicher. 

Norman's fine clocked in at $25,000, and it was the result of criticisms lobbed toward side judge Brad Freeman. According to the Washington Post's Master Tesfatsion, Norman said Freeman "sucked" and was "terrible" following his team's 27-27 tie with the Cincinnati Bengals in London. 

Then there was Ramsey, who took aim at field judge Dale Shaw following a 21-20 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 15. 

"By far, the worst official in the NFL," Ramsey said of Shaw, per ESPN.com's Mike DiRocco. "He needs to be fired 100 percent. Terrible, terrible, terrible."

According to Green, the troublesome thread that linked all three of those incidents was the way each player singled out a referee for what they perceived as lackluster performance.  

"It's definitely a concern, because I can't recall the individual [criticism] where they were calling out specific officials by name or number in the past," he said, per Pelissero. 

Contrast those complaints with more general ones brought forward by Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton that went unpunished, and it appears the NFLRA believes targeted verbal tirades against refs are the main issue at play.