Jets' Jamal Adams says refs apologized for penalty call that landed him $21,000 fine
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After laying into the NFL on Wednesday via Twitter to voice his displeasure over a penalty called on him in Monday night’s game, New York Jets safety Jamal Adams is now saying that referees apologized to his coaching staff for the call.
Adams was fined $21,000, which he says he’s appealing, for a hit on Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield that resulted in a roughing penalty.
"What's funny is that after the game, those guys came to the coaching staff, apologized for that call," Adams said. "But at the same time, those guys have a tough situation ... as far as calling certain calls. So it's very tough for me to get mad at them, because they have a tough job too."
The call was borderline, at very best. In slow motion, perhaps you can make the argument that he arrived a little late. But seeing that live and in-the-moment? Doubtful.
In his tweet Wednesday, Adams called the NFL “a damn joke.”
This league is a damn joke! I just got fined $21k for this hit, I signed up to play football not two hand touch. Bullshit! I don’t give a damn about these soft rules protecting QBs. Im gonna play MY brand of football everytime I step on the field. SMH pic.twitter.com/SKlTmBBMf0
— Jamal Adams (@TheAdamsEra) September 19, 2019
Adams did acknowledge that the refs have a tough job to do, however. And, for what it’s worth, the league confirmed the call was correct, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
On the Jamal Adams roughing the passer penalty and fine: Sources say the league confirmed that the penalty was correctly called and Adams will be fined officially when the letter goes out later this week. The #Jets S had expressed frustration with the decision, but it stands.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 19, 2019
Adams continues to criticize the NFL: ‘I guess we can’t touch the quarterback’
Speaking with the media Thursday, the Pro Bowler added that he was frustrated with the size of the fine, but that his mother told him to “calm down,” and was upset about his use of foul language in his initial tweet.
Jamal Adams explains why he was frustrated about being fined. “At the end of the day, I guess we can’t touch the quarterback.” He also says he got a call from his mom, who was not a fan of his language on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/rKcBzSQbZ5
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) September 19, 2019
“That’s what I’m mad about; I’m mad about the $21K. That’s where it starts,” he said. “In my opinion, it wasn’t unnecessary roughness, and then if anything, it didn’t look like Baker was in any pain, because he got up and talked noise to me.”
But Adams didn’t end it there, throwing just a little more shade toward the league.
“At the end of the day, I guess we can’t touch quarterbacks,” he said.
Adams, 23 and in his third NFL season, logged five tackles in Monday’s 23-3 loss to Cleveland. He’ll face the New England Patriots on Sunday.
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