Cardinals LT D.J. Humphries ejected for smacking an official on the head vs. Seahawks

Arizona Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks after he accidentally hit an official on the head.

The incident occurred when the official positioned himself between Humphries and Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks during a skirmish. Although the contact seemed unintentional, any contact with an official is typically not tolerated in the NFL, resulting in Humphries’ immediate removal from the game.

The incident happened after Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs threw an interception on a long pass intended for Michael Wilson in the end zone. Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe made contact with Dobbs’ head during the rush on the play, leading to a roughing-the-passer penalty that nullified the turnover.

A brief altercation between Brooks and Humphries ensued near the line of scrimmage. Brooks pushed Humphries in the face mask, prompting Humphries to retaliate by attempting to strike Mafe. In the process, he inadvertently made contact with the intervening official.

Although Brooks also made contact with the official, his arm was forced into the official by Humphries. Brooks received an unnecessary roughness penalty for his involvement in the skirmish but was not ejected. Humphries, on the other hand, was penalized for making contact with the official and subsequently removed from the game.

Humphries’ ejection left Dobbs without his primary protectant from blindside hits. The Cardinals replaced Humphries with backup Kelvin Beachum at left tackle, with over three quarters remaining in the game. At the time of the ejection, the Seattle Seahawks were leading 7-3. However, the Cardinals quickly responded with a touchdown on the following play, as Dobbs scrambled for 25 yards, resulting in a 10-7 lead for the Cardinals.