Joe Gibbs Fined for Criticizing Officiating in Denver Game

From the Washington Post:

Gibbs Fined for Criticizing Officials
Tuesday, October 18, 2005; E08

Washington Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs was fined $10,000 for comments he made about officiating in the wake of a Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos, league sources said. After that 21-19 defeat, Gibbs criticized officials' consistency, making several references to "mystery calls."

Gibbs sent tapes of several plays from that game to the NFL for review, and was upset about a pass interference call on wide receiver David Patten that negated a touchdown -- the Redskins ended up scoring on that drive anyway -- as well as a safety that was taken away by video replay because of the tuck rule, which made the fumble an incomplete pass instead and ended the play before Jake Plummer was sacked in the end zone.

"The game meant a lot to me," Gibbs said. "I got emotional, but we all know if you say something and it breaks a league policy, then you have to pay for it. So I'm going to do it. I'm going to pay it. It is my responsibility."

-- Jason La Canfora

As I said when I live-blogged the press conference, it was the angriest I had ever heard him.