Skip to content

Multiple star players rip officials after controversy-filled Sunday

Chuck Cook / USA TODAY Sports

Officiating is a thankless profession, as evidenced by numerous NFL players ripping into referees following Sunday's slate of games.

Cam Newton, Josh Norman, Richard Sherman, and Carson Palmer were among those incensed by the refereeing in their respective contests. Below is a roundup of their postgame gripes.

Cam Newton

"I could have torn an ACL. That was the breaking point for me."

"It's really taking the fun out of the game for me. At times, it's not safe. I'm going to talk to commissioner Goodell about this."

Josh Norman

"Who is official 88? He sucked. I'm just gonna be honest with you. I'm gonna be straightforward. He was terrible. I feel like he should be reprimanded. I feel like some of the plays that was going on out there, it was just - I mean, it was terrible.''

Richard Sherman

"I don't know what it is, but it's real obvious to the outside world how the game was officiated. I don't think they were trying to hide anything. I mean the calls - or lack thereof - were pretty egregious. So we will let you guys decide that. All we can do is keep playing."

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll evidently agreed with Sherman's assessment:

Carson Palmer

"I thought it was an obvious pass. I'm surprised they didn't see it that way," Palmer, on his first-quarter fumble returned for touchdown.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox