Earl Thomas hugged a referee. You better believe that’s a penalty
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Earl Thomas loves hugs. There’s nothing wrong with this. Hugs are great and the world would be a much nicer place if everyone hugged a little more. Unfortunately, the NFL doesn’t quite agree with that — especially if you hug a referee. Thomas got a flag for hugging, and it came from the official he hugged. That’s a stab in the back.
This isn’t the first time Thomas has hugged an official. It’s kind of his thing. In fact, just last week he hugged a ref, but he wasn’t flagged for it.
Hugs should be allowed in all their forms. Until then, Earl Thomas needs to get this t-shirt.
