PFWA Pool Reporter Nicki Jhabvala Interview with Referee Carl Cheffers
Seattle Seahawks at Washington Commanders
Sunday, September 27, 2026
Question: To go back to the penalty on K’Lavon Chaisson for an illegal hit (4th quarter, 14:19, Seattle 2nd and 5, Seattle’s 42 yard-line), can you explain what the officials saw there?
Cheffers: “He was a defenseless receiver, and they felt that the defender launched up into him which, it’s illegal to launch into a defenseless receiver. That is what they had and that is why they ruled unnecessary roughness.”
Question: So, it wasn’t a late hit, it was more of the launching?
Cheffers: “Yeah, it wasn’t specifically a head or neck hit or anything like that, we do not have that requirement on a launch. It was just the fact that a launch into a defenseless player is enough for a foul.”
Question: With Kain Medrano’s pick-six (4th quarter, 4:09, Seattle 2nd and 15, Washington’s 49 yard-line), it was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Nothing jumped out immediately to us in the press box but could you explain what was going on there?
Cheffers: “We had a non-uniform player come way out onto the field to celebrate and despite efforts to keep them off the field, he came way out into the field and that’s an unsportsmanlike illegal demonstration.”
Question: Are you able to say who the player was?
Cheffers: “I have no idea, he didn’t have a uniform on.”