The NFL has suspended official Roy Ellison one game for his comments to Washington Redskins offensive tackle Trent Williams, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport first reported Friday.
The NFL quickly confirmed the news, saying that Ellison was suspended for a "profane and derogatory" statement to Williams.
Ellison reportedly had a previous instance of using abusive language on the field. Williams accused Ellison of calling him "a garbage (expletive) disrespectful mother (expletive)."
Ellison will be replaced on Walt Coleman's crew by Rich Hall, a member of Ed Hochuli's crew, who is off this weekend, per Rapoport.
"NFL game officials are expected to avoid personal confrontations with players and be respectful of players and coaches at all times," the NFL said in a statement. "The NFL-NFLRA Collective Bargaining Agreement states that 'at no time will a Game Official engage in any conduct which adversely affects or reflects on the NFL or which results in the impairment of public confidence in the honest and orderly conduct of League games or the integrity or good character of its Game Officials.'"
According to the NFL's senior vice president of communications, Greg Aiello, the last time an official was suspended due to an on-field incident was back in 1984, when Jack Fette got into hot water for conduct toward fans.
UPDATE: The NFL Referees Association sent out a statement Friday in which it denounced Ellison's one-game suspension as a rush to judgment. The NFLRA plans to challenge the suspension with an immediate grievance.
Rapoport reported on NFL Network's "Around the League Primetime" that it's unlikely Ellison will have his appeal heard before Sunday, according to a league source.
*We previewed every Week 12 game in the latest "Around The League Podcast." *