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'Jaishawn Barham should have been ejected': Referee's brutal take on Michigan vs Ohio head butt scandal
Jaishawn Barham was not ejected, and just got a personal foul, after headbutting the game official, and now a former referee has weighed in on the controversy.
Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jaishawn Barham headbutted an official during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday.
The incident took place during a dive that led to a field goal for the Buckeyes. Barham ended up making contact with an official and headbutting him. A video of the moment has been widely circulated online with many blasting the player's actions.
While Barham got a personal foul for unsportsmanlike conduct he was not ejected, as many believe he should have been. Ohio State fans reportedly could not believe that the 21-year-old was allowed to keep playing.
“Jaishawn Barham should have been ejected! You don't head butt an official,” one person remarked on X. Another added, “I’m a Michigan fan and thought it was as well However it has zero affect on the game Barnham should have been ejected and pay flipped the script Pay has been better in the trenches, that’s how UM won four straight Michigan is getting bullied.”
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Yet another said, “Absolutely insane this was not an ejection.”
Barham got a 15-yar penalty but some argued that the player was trying to demonstrate something to the referee and not headbutt him. “Truly believe Barham was trying to demonstrate something to the ref and not trying to headbutt him,” one person noted. While it is not known why Barham was not ejected, if the ref felt the action was not intentional then he'd likely just be fouled for it.
However, a former official has weighed in on the controversy, and has sided squarely with those who say Barham should have been ejected.
What the former referee said about Barham's ejection?
Former NFL referee Terry McAulay, now a rules official for NBC, said it should be an ‘automatic ejection.’ Taking to social media, he commented, “In no universe should he be allowed to play another down.”
Wolverines trailed 9-27 to Buckeyes at the time of writing.
