On the long flight back for the Green Bay Packers following the teams 14-12 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, players debated going on strike or taking a knee on every play in upcoming games if the replacement referee issue isnt solved.
Thats according to Packers guard TJ Lang, a Royal Oak native who issued an infamous anti-NFL Tweet after the game that said **** It NFL. Fine me and use the money to pay the regular refs.
Many believe the Packers loss was caused by the worst referee decision in NFL history, and players got down to the nuts and bolts of what to do next on the plane, Lang said.
Lang said incensed players decided theyre willing to go to great lengths to show their displeasure about the replacement ref situation.
Whatever it takes, its just a total embarrassment to everybody watching the game, the players in the game, its not fun to be part of something like that
If it keeps going on, its going to get ugly, Lang said during a Tuesday afternoon interview on the Valenti & Foster show on 97.1 The Ticket.
He added: Going into a game worrying about the refs more than the other team, its a problem. The NFL, the commissioners, if they dont take action after last night
That should be the last straw.
He added he didnt regret his angry Tweets which some are calling the most re-Tweeted lines in sports history though he does regret using the F-bomb.
Personally, I think more people need to speak up, Lang said, adding players are too afraid of fines to say what they really believe.
He added its hypocritical for the NFL to preach integrity, character, player safety, and allow unqualified referees on the field whose calls could actually injure players.
We were furious, man, as soon as we got into the locker room we turned the TVs on, it was just heartbreaking to have the game taken from us like that, he said. We put too much effort, blood, sweat and tears into this game to have it taken from us.
So were the descriptions of 20 angry players throwing things at the TV after the game accurate? It is accurate, Lang said, adding, Ive never been part of anything like that, its hard to blame officials for that loss, you never want to use that excuse
but after we saw the replay and all the reaction from the newscasters on ESPN
We got robbed.
It was kind of embarrassing to be part of it, everybody was furious, a lot of guys are trying to take the high road, but its hard to do when theres that much emotion into one game. To have the win actually stolen from you? Its frustrating.
Foster said fans, even those in Detroit where Green Bay isnt exactly a favored topic, felt the teams pain.
I dont think it matters if youre a fan of the Packers or not, everybody clearly saw that last play was an absolutely blown call, Lang said. Its just emotionally straining. I woke up today kind of feeling the same way I did last night, just kind of dumbfounded that outcome played out the way it did.
Today is a day off for the Packers, but many are wondering how theyll come back from such a devastating loss. Lang said it is possible.
Emotionally its just heartbreaking to have a game come down to that
its tough to get over, but as professionals youve got to find a way to move on, he said.
But hes not exactly over it, going on to say he doesnt understand why refs didnt take more time during the game to review the controversial play. The call was reaffirmed by the NFL Tuesday.
Did they really look at it? Whats going on? he recalled thinking after the call.
Lang added a number of bad calls have been piling up since the season began, adding, If the NFL doesnt step up and do something about it now, its just going to get worse.
So, who does he blame? It all starts with the owners, commissioners, Lang said, adding, The refs that we have right now, they dont have the experience to make the proper calls, you can tell by watching every single game theyre having a hard time
They just asked a bunch of random guys to go out there.
Its clear that everybody, fans, players, hopefully the owners, realize its a problem, we cant keep going on this way. Its frustrating to have to go out there are worry about the refs
We see how important it is now.
He said the controversy is turning the league into a joke.
Its frustrating to see the owners, the commissioners, arent taking any action toward it
The NFL needs to take action, its hard to blame these guys, its total confusion out there at some points for these guys. You just asked a couple of guys who have never reffed an NFL game to go out there and be perfect.
