The NFL continues its hypocrisy with recent decisions on ejections
The NFL’s inconsistencies in officiating continue to confuse and frustrate fans.
When the Indianapolis Colts took on the New England Patriots in Week 15, the game drew a ton of viewers. It was a primetime rivalry game with a ton of playoff implications.
It turned out to be a great game and ended in a dramatic fashion. However, it was still underscored by something that has become far too common this season in the NFL, baffling officiating decisions.
In the third quarter of the game, the Colts ran the ball and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. delivered a physical block to Patriots defender Kyle Dugger. Dugger took exception to the physicality and punched Pittman and the two proceeded to push each other around on the ground.
Pittman never threw a punch, but he and Dugger were both ejected from the game. The decision left many wondering what did Pittman do to deserve being tossed out.
#Colts WR Michael Pittman and #Patriots S Kyle Dugger have been ejected for going at it. Here's the video: pic.twitter.com/3DGh64pPVK
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 19, 2021
It’s still unclear why Pittman was ejected, but many just accepted that maybe the NFL is taking a strict approach and trying to lay down to law to prevent any other instances like this.
That theory wasn’t even allowed to live for two days, before the NFL and its officials handled a similar situation completely differently.
NFL inconsistently officiates games. Just look at the Colts’ Michael Pittman Jr.
In another Week 15 primetime matchup between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, a similar dust-up ensued and the officials’ decided a different outcome.
When Bears quarterback, Justin Fields, was pushed near the sideline, Chicago’s lineman, Teven Jenkins, ran towards Minnesota’s players to defend his quarterback. Jenkins exchanged shoves with a few players before punching one in the helmet.
Jenkins only received a 15-yard penalty but got to remain in the game and that makes zero sense considering Pittman was ejected just two days prior for essentially doing nothing.
This isn’t to say that the officials working the Bears and Vikings game should have ejected Jenkins, it’s just highlighting that the league needs to be more consistent. Jenkins’ actions were objectively more unruly than Pittman’s, so either they both should have been ejected or neither should have.
The NFL needs to figure it out. It’s unreasonable that a league as valuable as the NFL, that so many people commit to, is being sullied weekly by poor rules and officiating. It’s a disservice to the players, fans, and everyone else involved.
