MINNEAPOLIS -- The NFL is looking into an unusual exchange between referee Adrian Hill and Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson that took place in Minnesota's 15-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday night.
The play occurred with five minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Hill's crew had whistled the play dead because of a neutral zone infraction by Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner. Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon continued blocking Wilson, causing Wilson to collide with Hill and knock him down. Hill stood up quickly and appeared to be yelling at Wilson while pointing for him to move away from the area.
The two discussed the matter at halftime.
"That was funny, honestly," Wilson told reporters in the Vikings' locker room. "I ended up apologizing to him and explained the situation. He was cool about it. He understood what was going on. He just said he didn't want us fighting, me and [Gordon]. He said he was just trying to break us up."
The NFL rulebook calls for players to be ejected from a game if they make "unnecessary physical conduct with a game official." Hill did not throw a flag on Wilson, and the NFL's replay command center -- which has the authority this season to eject players for flagrant non-football acts even if there is no flag -- did not weigh in.
