The NFL has reportedly hit three head coaches with $250,000 fines for their treatment of officials. The coaches in question are New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, and New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, and the league is making it clear that it won’t tolerate sideline antics.
Fans, however, aren’t exactly buying it. Some think the NFL should be looking in the mirror before cracking down on coaches, while others believe officials should be held to the same standard.
Mike Vrabel, Nick Sirianni, Aaron Glenn Face Conditional Fines
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer broke the news that the league discussed growing tensions between coaches, players, and officials at this week’s owners’ meetings.
Vrabel, Sirianni and Glenn were cited as examples of coaches facing discipline for their conduct toward officials. The NFL appears to be using the trio to send a message about sideline and on-field behavior.
There’s also a catch: The fines are reportedly being held in abeyance, meaning the coaches won’t necessarily have to pay up. Breer reported that the penalties could be waived if they behave themselves going forward, and ESPN subsequently confirmed their conditional status.
The exact incidents that led to the fines, along with when the penalties were issued, remain unclear. Glenn did have an animated exchange with officials during the Jets’ Week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns, though it remains unclear whether that incident factored into the reported fine.
Even with the caveat that the fines are conditional, fans weren’t having it. One user on X questioned whether coaches were simply expected to bite their tongues when they felt officials had blown a call.
“What is going on in the NFL, man. You can’t even yell at the refs anymore on the sidelines for [expletive] reffing,”the fan wrote.
Another challenged the league’s consistency. “That’s actually ridiculous, yet refs control the game and have no checks and balances. This league is so inconsistent with this [expletive],”the user wrote.
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“But the refs don’t get held accountable for being [expletive] at their jobs. What a joke,”another fan wrote.
There is, however, precedent for the NFL disciplining officials. On Oct. 5, the league suspended Jeff Seeman for two games and Adrian Hill for one game over unprofessional conduct toward players. However, those suspensions addressed their behavior, not the missed calls that continue to frustrate fans.
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“That’s Good Sports” creator Brandon Perna had a solution of his own, suggesting the league start handing out hefty fines to officials, too.
“I’m fining all of these officials $250k until their officiating gets less offensive!”Perna wrote.
Jets radio host Jake Asman specifically defended Glenn.
“I’m going to defend Aaron Glenn on this. The officiating against the Jets this season has been dog [expletive], and he shouldn’t be fined a penny,”Asman wrote.
Of course, Glenn has plenty on his plate beyond his dealings with officials. The Jets are 2-4, and through Week 6, New York ranks No. 20 in the league with a PFN Team Impact Score of 74.6. The Patriots sit at No. 12 with 75.9, while the Eagles rank No. 27 at 71.2.
For Glenn, Vrabel, and Sirianni, the message from the league is clear: Watch how you handle officials from here on out. A disputed call can cost a team valuable yards, but another heated sideline exchange could also turn a conditional fine into a very real punishment.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.