That wasn’t the first time Earl Thomas hugged a ref

Many NFL players have their own unique way of celebrating a big play, but Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas III has been embracing an entirely different tactic.

Thomas was so excited after he recovered a fumble and ran the ball in for a touchdown during the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints that he hugged an official.

LOB forcing fumbles.
LOB scoring TDs.#WeAre12 #SEAvsNOhttps://t.co/BOTFsA9yPh

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) October 30, 2016

The ref didn’t seem to appreciate the gesture and Thomas drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag. Thomas told ESPN he didn’t even know he was flagged for the hug until after the game was over, and that he was just having fun.

…just excited about the moment. I only live three hours away from here. I’m just thinking, like, ‘Man, everybody back home just saw me score.’ You never know what happens when you go into these games, and then the ball goes your way. Just an exciting moment. That’s just how I celebrated.

The NFL rulebook doesn’t specifically bar players hugging refs, but it does prohibit shoving, pushing, and striking officials. In those circumstances the player is supposed to be ejected.

While many speculated that the penalty was the first of its kind, it isn’t the first time Thomas has hugged a ref. In fact, the 27-year-old embraced a ref just last week during the game against the Arizona Cardinals.

While Thomas’ hug in Phoenix didn’t hurt the team, excessive touching was an ongoing problem for the Seahawks on Sunday. Seattle was penalized 11 times during their second loss of the season.

Still, if all the players take the time to show refs how much they are appreciated, maybe fewer flags will fly when the Seahawks play the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 7.

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