Report: NFL admits Panthers' Kuechly shouldn't have been ejected, won't be fined

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera isn't alone in his belief that linebacker Luke Kuechly should not have been ejected from Sunday's game for making contact with an official.

According to Ed Werder of ESPN, the NFL informed Rivera that officials were wrong to toss Kuechly from the game and he will not be subjected to a fine. 

Kuechly was ejected late in the third quarter after he swung his arm back while being restrained by back judge Steve Freeman. He said afterwards that he did not realize it was an official who was holding him.

"I've looked at it 100 times and not his character, not anything on the field, off the field, not that play, nothing about it to me was blatant to warrant a flag, let alone an ejection," injured Panthers linebacker Chase Blackburn said, according to the Charlotte Observer.

"I understand they're trying to protect officials, but if a guy grabs you from the back (and) you can’t see who it is, you should be able to shrug your arm to get him off. He didn't swing, didn't push, didn't do anything. He tried to get his arm off."