![\"Vikings](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2234391971-e1763147694833-1.jpg\")
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Veteran\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0WR\u00a0Adam Thielen\u00a0drew headlines on Friday for his comments on the NFL\u2019s officiating problem. After being called for a crucial penalty in a key situation in the Vikings\u2019 loss to the\u00a0Ravens\u00a0last week, Thielen was hot on the sideline, letting the refs know how he felt, as well as his coaches and teammates. Anyone who was within earshot, really.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we need to have full-time referees,\u201d\u00a0Thielen said on KFAN\u2019s The Power Trip Morning Show, when asked about the state of officiating in the\u00a0NFL. \u201cI think it\u2019s ridiculous that \u2014 and no offense to these guys, I mean they obviously love their job, and they put a lot of time into it, I know they do. But we have these guys that are kind of \u2018fanboys\u2019 a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey love the fact that they get to go out there and get to shake hands with Patrick Mahomes, they get to hang out with these professional athletes. And then they go to their real job on Monday through Friday and they get to tell everyone how cool their side job is. I think that there should be full-time referees.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, the NFL is [worth] billions and billions of dollars,\u201d Thielen continued. \u201cThere\u2019s so much money in the game, there\u2019s so much betting on the game. These games means so much, not just to the people who are gambling, but what about the people that are putting in so much time and effort to try and go out and perform well and win games. And all the time the coaches put in \u2014 they deserve to have full-time referees. That\u2019s my take on it. I think it\u2019s very easy to do and I don\u2019t know why it hasn\u2019t been done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stephen Maturen\/GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA \u2013 SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell of the\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0talks with Adam Thielen #19 before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I think the reason why I was probably so fired up was because we\u2019d talked about that exact play all week,\u201d Thielen said on the penalty in question. \u201cWe actually practiced that exact look in practice. Like, \u2018This is probably what we\u2019ll get and this is what we want you to do.’\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd so I had a pretty good idea of what the rule was: that if you\u2019re on the line of scrimmage, or within a yard of the line of scrimmage, that you can actually hit \u2019em. That you can actually block them. And it\u2019s not pass interference, because if it\u2019s past one yard from the line of scrimmage, then it\u2019s pass interference if you touch them. \u2026And I think the shock of him not seeing me actually made it look worse than it really was. Because I didn\u2019t really hit him that hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, Thielen wasn\u2019t called for offensive pass interference. He was called for an illegal crack-back block, where an offensive player outside the tackle box blocks back towards their own end zone. This type of play was ruled a 15-yard penalty several years ago due to its high propensity for injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the frustration with these refs \u2014 I think they sometimes just forget that we\u2019re playing football,\u201d Theielen said. \u201cAnd yes, there\u2019s rules, but I think they sometimes forget the feel of the game. Was that really malicious in intent? Did I hit him in the head? No.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think they just sometimes forget like, yes there\u2019s a rulebook, you can\u2019t crack back, you can\u2019t do these things. But what does it look like in football, and how does it apply to a real, full-speed rep? And so that\u2019s why I think I was so frustrated. I think some of what they were saying back to me made me a little more frustrated, I don\u2019t think they really understood the rule. So, interesting play. Obviously I can\u2019t do that, I apologized to the ref after the game. And he said he needed to get more clarification on the rule. So, all good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thielen made sure to apologize to the official for his outburst after the game, but he notes in this interview that he wants referees to account for game flow and natural physicality more in their calls. An interesting approach, given how much more subjectivity would be involved in such a process.<\/p>\n
Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown has emerged as one of the NFL\u2019s most reliable and dynamic receivers, thriving on precision, toughness and relentless preparation. His ability to consistently beat defenders with crisp routes and elite timing has made him a focal point of Detroit\u2019s offense. Through execution and a chip-on-his-shoulder mentality, St. Brown continues to prove he belongs among the league\u2019s best.<\/p>\n
In his first nine games this season, the 26-year-old has hauled in 64 catches on 82 targets for 693 yards and eight touchdowns. His totals rank fifth in the league in receiving yards and fourth in receptions, a testament to his continued consistency in his fifth NFL season.<\/p>\n
St. Brown signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Lions in April 2024, keeping him locked in with the organization through the 2028 season.<\/p>\n
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14)\u00a9 Peter Casey-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
As St. Brown prepares for Sunday Night Football against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10, he took to social media with a special announcement. In addition to\u00a0posting on his personal Instagram story, the St. Brown Foundation, an account run by Amon-Ra and his brothers Equanimeous and Osiris, announced a giveaway for fans.<\/p>\n
St. Brown shared he is giving away a signed box of Cheerios to one lucky winner. \u201cDid someone say GIVEAWAY? You could win a box of @cheerios SIGNED by @amonra_stbrown! ,\u201d the post read, followed by instructions on how to enter.<\/p>\n
St. Brown\u2019s partnership with Cheerios began in July 2025, marking a few months of collaboration. As part of General Mills\u2019 second annual \u201cCereal Training Camp\u201d promotion, he was featured on a limited-edition box of Honey Nut Cheerios. The packaging highlights his signature \u201cHoney Handstand\u201d touchdown celebration, and the boxes hit grocery store shelves nationwide in August.<\/p>\n
Off the field, St. Brown continues to build his brand while proving to be one of the best value picks in recent memory. Drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, he has played a central role in Detroit\u2019s emergence as a championship contender. He is a major reason the Lions are tied for first in the NFC North with a 6\u20133 record. A three-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro, St. Brown remains focused on the ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl title back to Detroit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Veteran\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0WR\u00a0Adam Thielen\u00a0drew headlines on Friday for his comments on the NFL\u2019s officiating problem. After being called for a crucial penalty in a key situation in the Vikings\u2019 loss to the\u00a0Ravens\u00a0last week,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t