The NFL suspended Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw for one week, due to his actions after Sunday’s thrilling, come-from-behind (twice) victory over the Giants.

NFL executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent, appearing on Thursday’s PFT Live, addressed the reason for suspending Greenlaw for words (not contact) directed to referee Brad Allen, after the game-winning field goal.

I’ve been particularly curious about the situation because the line had always been contact with officials. Greenlaw (unlike teammate Justin Strnad) at no point touched Allen. So why was Greenlaw suspended?

“We’ve been talking about sportsmanship for a few years,” Vincent said. “It’s the core of our game. And here, as a player, this is a great moment to celebrate. Celebrate the victory. Look at what you all just accomplished. You marched the ball — you should be celebrating what [quarterback] Bo Nicks just did. You should be celebrating with the kicker. But here — it’s just, like, this is selfish. And Brad Allen’s post-game report here, Mike, he wrote that up that this abusive language, this threatening language was one that is just like — there’s just no place in the game for that. This is a wonderful moment to be celebrating with the sold-out crowd. The place erupted. It’s what we want to see every weekend in the game. And to run and chase somebody down, just like — we’re just better than that. The game’s better than that. We know that’s not being coached, and it was — it just rose to that level. But really Brad Allen’s postgame report was just like, we got to — we need to take a obviously a closer look.”

It’s still unclear what Greenlaw supposedly said.

“I think we should ask Dre that,” Vincent said. “You know, maybe he shared with his coach what was actually shared, but there’s just no place in the game to run an official down after a game to to share your feelings. This game’s over. Celebrate the victory.”

What about Strnad, who based on the video made contact with Allen?

“He’ll be held accountable, so that will come in a fine form,” Vincent said. “But we just we really focused in on just that verbal abuse, what was said, and the Brad Allen report. He didn’t share — we all saw some of the contact but we really focused in on someone who wasn’t even involved in the play, and again, that situation, Mike, it puts everybody in a bind because now you’re in a hearing and you’re — the staff, the [NFL]PA. Who can defend what we saw? Like, celebrate the victory. It’s so hard to win during this time on you know on game day, and it’s just no place in the game for that.”

It’s still a slippery slope. Especially when the player who struck Allen in the back wasn’t suspended and the player who did not touch him was.

The message to all players and teams is simple. After the game, don’t say a word to the officials. If you do, there’s now a chance that the punishment will be much more significant than a fine.