Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict won’t face further discipline from the NFL after being tossed from last Sunday’s game for contact with an official.
Burfict had already been hit with one personal foul penalty in the game when he pushed the arm of an official off of him, prompting a second penalty and automatic ejection.
This week, we’ve seen Burfict’s teammates stick up for him. Some believe his ejection was not fair and that he’s targeted by officials. Others have said referees are actually targeting Burfict now that he’s become such a regular when it comes to personal foul penalties.
For his part, Burfict agrees on both counts.
“The refs, they come up to me, talking to me disrespectfully, wanting me to curse back at them, but me cursing back at them isn’t going to help me,” Burfict said, via Laurel Pfahler of ESPN. “I’m not going to get a flag in my favor next time around, but that’s the way they handle business, I guess. I told Coach I’m just going to try to stay out of the refs’ way.”
The Bengals started the season without Burfict in the lineup as he served a three-game suspension for an illegal hit during the preseason.
Obviously the NFL is watching Burfict’s every move, so the smart thing would be for the linebacker to learn how to temper his emotions and learn how to play a bit more inside the lines of propriety.