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Shutdown Corner

Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:38 pm EDT

NFL official hurt after kickoff collision with Vikings player

By Chris Chase

After Percy Harvin(notes) crossed midfield with his kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter of the Minnesota Vikings-Pittsburgh Steelers game, the only man with a chance of stopping him was wearing stripes. 

Harvin broke his return down the left sideline, but cut right at the Pittsburgh 30-yard line as the Steelers' coverage unit closed in on him. Jeff Dugan(notes), a tight end, ran with Harvin to block any Steeler who might get in his way, but instead of shoving someone wearing black and yellow, he ran square into someone wearing black and white.

Dugan collided with back judge Richard Reels, who was backpedaling in the middle of the field, and knocked him to the ground like was a traffic cone trying to stand up to a Mack truck. Reels lay on the field for several minutes while he was attended to by medical personnel, but he walked off under his own power. The official had been observing the play from midfield and was caught out of position when Harvin made his cut.


Harvin scored on the play, though the Steelers would hold on for the 27-17 victory in Pittsburgh.

It was reported earlier today that the NFL will consider equipping umpires with helmets to protect them when contact is made with players. However, the resolution as discussed in the report wouldn't include Reels, who is a back judge. 

Related: Percy Harvin, Jeff Dugan, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers

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335 Comments

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  1. K Smith
    1. Posted by K Smith Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:54 pm EDT

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    Why the hell is this an article? You think this is the first time an official has been banged up on a play? Do you talk to yourself in a corner just to hear yourself?
  2. williams wall
    2. Posted by williams wall Sun Oct 25, 2009 4:58 pm EDT

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    the refs should not only be hurt, but removed from games after one of the most patheticly refed games in as long as i can remember. the vikings didn`t loss this game the refs gave it to the steelers. I`ve never seen so many blown calls by an officiating crew in all the years i`ve watched and played football, what a gift to the steelers. if anyone says that the steelers won this one, they are full of sh1t!!!! if your a real fan of football, you can not argue this point, just watch the film and you will see.
  3. Kory
    3. Posted by Kory Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:01 pm EDT

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    Oh Paul you must be a vikings fan just like the cardinals and the seahawks blaming the refs for losing a game to the steelers
  4. letmypeopleho69
    4. Posted by letmypeopleho69 Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:01 pm EDT

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    Don't cry.
  5. jonathan s
    5. Posted by jonathan s Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:17 pm EDT

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    Oh please. There was holding on this return, but I don't see any Vikings fans mentioning that. Bad calls and no-calls go both ways during every game.
  6. AnthonyD
    6. Posted by AnthonyD Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:23 pm EDT

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    Except that any Holding call that you're claiming happened wasn't mentioned by anyone but everyone saw the BS tripping call. Only a Steelers fan could claim that the "no-calls went both ways" with a serious face. Saved by the refs, that's what I saw and outplayed in nearly every aspect is the other thing I saw. You got a gimme, be happy. The Vikes had a bad-luck game coming and they got it out of the way at least.
  7. HeltaSkelta
    7. Posted by HeltaSkelta Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:26 pm EDT

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    Turnovers were the cause of the Vikes loss today.
  8. Krissie
    8. Posted by Krissie Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:30 pm EDT

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    I thought it was sorta funny. I mean he was sorta just standing there in the first place.
  9. maverick_097
    9. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:38 pm EDT

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    Piss poor officiating -and- turnovers were the cause of the loss today.
    Anyone that argues otherwise is an idiot. All this crap about the "Great Steel Curtain".
    pffft.
    You dont throw for over 300 yards against a "great" defense. They got handed one.
    The officiating, not just in this game but all season, has been piss poor.
  10. maverick_097
    10. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:39 pm EDT

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    Oh, and I forgot to post this before:
    I hope the jerk has a concussion. I also hope he was the same one that was responsible for the "Tripping" call....
  11. Q
    11. Posted by Q Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:42 pm EDT

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    refs are meant to watch the game... obviously he didnt
  12. xtradloffx
    12. Posted by xtradloffx Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:42 pm EDT

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    Surprised the refs didn't call a tripping foul on him NFL Refs= Yankee umps = FAIL
  13. wobbler
    13. Posted by wobbler Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:51 pm EDT

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    these still frame pictures don't do it justice. i saw the play live and on replay. the collision happened on about the 20 yd line and there wasn't a pittsburgh player in sight. imo, Dugan should be fined for that hit on the ref. Dugan wasn't trying to make a block or do anything at all really, other than try to keep up w/ harvin as he cruised into the endzone. it was a totally unnecessary and brutal 2-handed check in the back of the referee. this is exactly the kind of injuries to referees that can and should be prevented.
  14. maverick_097
    14. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:52 pm EDT

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3kO1hYvrQ
    Wheres the tripping call on this play?
    0:31 he tried to.....
  15. maverick_097
    15. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:55 pm EDT

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    Ref deserved it. Payback for the crap they called all day long.
    How do you miss the sideline catch by Rice right in front of you? Have to challenge just to get a play (one of several) that should have been called right in the first place?
    We had to fight for every little scrap today.
    He deserved it.
  16. Red
    16. Posted by Red Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:57 pm EDT

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    I didn't know Vikings fans were such panzy, sore losers. Bad calls? Try throwing a pick and losing a fumball, both for touchdowns, in the 4th quarter. They lost because old man Farve is a turnover machine and the Steelers have the best D in the league. Simply stated, the Vikings are an inferior team being followed by inferior fans.
  17. maverick_097
    17. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:02 pm EDT

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    "fumball"
    Do you mean "fumble" ?
    Inferior indeed.
    btw master speller 2 of his 3 ints werent even his fault. Tips are the receivers fault.
  18. fender b
    18. Posted by fender b Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:03 pm EDT

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    hey maverick_097..........should I call whaaaaaambulance for you?
  19. Anthony
    19. Posted by Anthony Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:04 pm EDT

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    An interception return for a touchdown - ball went through the hands of the receiver - a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown - wow - the refs caused both of those plays - didn't they? - you think?
  20. Sherri
    20. Posted by Sherri Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:04 pm EDT

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    Want to talk about a [profane] call, how about when the refs called back an obvious td by ward a few weeks ago because he bobbled the ball when he was out of the end zone, but when Rice caught the ball on the sideline and obviously did not have control of the ball, it was a catch. What the Hell, as was stated bad calls go both ways. The refs have more than once had to apoligize for bad calls on the Steelers, such as the touchdown Troy had last year called back and at least two others that I know of. The ref was not just run into he was shoved and again as stated there was not a Steeler in sight, it was a deliberate shove.
  21. Shawn27
    21. Posted by Shawn27 Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:04 pm EDT

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    Heh. I'm wondering how many people here are disturbed by poor ref performance because it undermines faith in the result of the game, like myself, and how many are just Vikings fans who can take a gift from the refs (like last week versus the Ravens, when the Vikes got every call and non-call that existed) but don't want to give it back. It's called karma. The Vikes won a game they didn't deserve to win a week ago. They lost a game they didn't deserve to lose today.
    With that being said, the ref did NOT deserve being injured. Morons. No person deserves to be injured because he missed a call of inches on players who move at speeds that border on the superhuman. Football is a game...a very rich game, but a game. Get your priorities straight.
  22. NY1
    22. Posted by NY1 Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:06 pm EDT

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    Vikings SUCK!
  23. maverick_097
    23. Posted by maverick_097 Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:06 pm EDT

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    Please do Fender. I think Gay can ride along with me. He will have to give AP his cleats back though. -After- they surgically remove them from his chest.
  24. Sherri
    24. Posted by Sherri Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:11 pm EDT

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    Call me stupid here but how are tips the recievers fault. They are where they are supposed to be not there fault the ball don't get there. That is defense at its best blocking the ball after it leaves the QB's hands. Farve had it lucky with 3 of his wins coming against 3 of the poorest teams in the NFL. Now he crys because he came up against a team that was just as good. What's going to be the excuse they use cause Peterson was only held to 69 yards on 18 carries. Face it the Steelers Defense is back in form and they are just fierce when it comes to goal line stands.
  25. InBredCornfedSheepdoinker
    25. Posted by InBredCornfedSheepdoinker Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:20 pm EDT

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    A turnover machine, maybe you should check the stats for THIS SEASON, yes he had a fumble, his first of the year. The interception was a pass that Chester Taylor should have caught.
    Yes there were bad calls in the game, but I could really care less. If anyone that watches the game really believes that the ref's are there to keep it fair then they are kidding themselves. The ref's are there to keep it interesting and quite frankly to piss people off.
    If a team can't play past the calls and past the rest of the BS during a game then they don't deserve a win, and the Vikings didn't desrve to win today. They played flat most of the game, as a Viking fan I am wondering now why they are willing to extend Childress' contract, his play calling was once again very questionable.
    Red, to say the Vikings are an inferior team with inferior fans only shows your lack of intelligence, who did your precious Steelers lose to this year? Washington, Chicago, and the Bengals
    How exactly does a team lose to Washington, I guess they would have to be an inferior team wouldn't they.............what a dumbass.

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