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Controversy

Bills DE Jerry Hughes accosts officials in tunnel after game

There has been a post game player-official confrontation in Miami.

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At the conclusion of the Dolphins-Bills Week 13 game, Jerry Hughes of the Bills ran off the field and up the tunnel to confront Shawn Hochuli’s crew. Video was captured by Spectrum News reporter Jon Scott.

It appears that Hughes is in a verbal altercation with one official, but with the video angle, we cannot accurately report who he’s going after. Our best guess is that it is umpire Roy Ellison. Notably, Ellison was suspended in 2013 for using derogatory language towards a player on the field who was yelling objectionable racial slang.

What we do see is field judge Tom Hill (foreground) and side judge Chad Hill (number 125, no relation) separating Hughes and the official.

It is very rare for players and officials to meet in the tunnel under the stadium. Hughes had to make a special trip to find the officials.

The potentially disturbing aspect of this video is Hughes apparently accusing an official of calling him a “bitch.” The NFL will take statements from Shawn Hochuli and the official involved, and will get Hughes’ side of the story. We have word that the league is looking into the situation now.

The NFL does not want this type of altercation between players and officials. Hughes could face a suspension for accosting the officiating crew. If the NFL suspends Hughes, it will happen Monday to allow the three-day appeal process to play out before next week’s game. 

Update: In postgame interviews, Hughes came up with every possible way to not answer questions about the incident.

Mark Schultz is a high school football official, freelance writer and journalist. He first became interested in officiating when he was six years old, was watching a NFL game with his father and asked the fateful question, "Dad, what are those guys in the striped shirts doing?"

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