Two NFL referees caught on camera asking Mike Evans for an autograph (2024)

The NFL is reportedly investigating the conduct of two referees who seemed to ask for Tampa Bay WR Mike Evans' autograph after the Buccaneers game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the league launched a review of the events shortly after the two were seen running up to Evans with a pen and piece of paper for him to sign.

The footage was shot inside the tunnels at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, with the two officials identified as Jeff Lamberth and Tripp Sutter.

According to the NFL-NFLRA collective bargaining agreement, officials are prohibited from asking 'players, coaches or any other team personnel for autographs or memorabilia.'

It isn't clear if there are any rules that lay out punishment for officials who do go seeking signatures.

More specifically, it's not clear if there will be any punishment for the two referees involved in this incident.

This might also be a case where the officials weren't seeking autographs, rather, Evans - who is a captain - may have been signing an official scoresheet or game notes, which he's required to do.

DailyMail.com reached out to an NFL spokesperson for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Fans on social media had varied responses to the incident - with some pointing out the possibility of game notes, with others calling for punishment.

'Captains have to sign information cards after every game. This is standard procedure. You guys are reaching too hard on this one,' wrote one Twitter user.

'This would be a bad look if the Bucs would've won lol,' tweeted another.

One described the interaction as 'weird' while another said: 'man what the hell is going on.'

Tampa Bay lost the game Sunday by a score of 21-3.

The Bucs defeat was a huge Week 7 shock and came a week after they lost 20-18 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Evans dropped a wide-open 64-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the game.

'No one play is the sole reason you lose, but that was definitely the biggest reason,' Evans said postgame.

'I seen the life go out of us. It took me a while to get back playing. We're taught to play the next play, but it was tough -- wide open, one of the best in the game -- I've got to catch it.'

Evans was referring to star quarterback Tom Brady, who issued another rallying cry to his teamfollowing the disappointing loss on Sunday.

The Bucs fell below .500 as the Panthers sealed just their second win of the season.

Carolina Panthers

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