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The NFL took Mulligan.
After fining Texans running back Joe Mixon $25,000 for something he didn’t say regarding the officiating in Saturday’s playoff game against the Chiefs, the NFL reissued the penalty with his actual words instead.
New fine discipline from Mixon who said, “Everybody knows how things are done here. You can never leave it in the hands of the judges. The whole world’s watching, man.”
That quote was not mentioned in the initial nice letter, which relied on words not from Mixon, but from former Bengals wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh. Houshmandzadeh said: “Why play the game if every 50/50 call goes with the Chiefs. These officials are trash and bias.”
The relevant rule prohibits any public criticism of the officiating “as it calls into question the integrity and public confidence in our game”.
And, of course, by fining players and coaches, the NFL is making light of the issue – that there were calls in the game worthy of criticism. So was the criticism leveled by ESPN’s Troy Aikman during a broadcast watched by more than 30 million people, after a late slide by Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes drew a roughing foul.
“Come onAikman said. “He’s a runner, and I couldn’t disagree with that more. They barely hit him. It’s now the second penalty called against the Texans.”
The NFL cannot fine Aikman (since he is not part of the team). But they could, and probably did, complain to Aikman’s bosses about it.
Aikman’s words have now been replaced by an attempt by Keystone police to get money out of Mixon’s pocket, first by punishing him for something he didn’t say and now for a less controversial comment he actually made.
