As an umpire, Quirk often is responsible for breaking up scuffles among players. During a 1999 NFL season game between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams, Quirk attempted to break up a skirmish between the Rams Jeff Robinson and the Bears Ty Hallock. Quirk grabbed Robinson by the waist and tackled him to the ground. Robinson was ejected by Quirk for throwing a punch at Hallock. As the game was concluding, Robinson asked Quirk if he could have a photo taken together. Robinson later had the photo enlarged and hung it on the wall of his den. After the game, Todd Lyght commented on Quirk's tackle saying, "He did that with authority, and that was an older guy, too. That wasn't one of the young umps. He put it on him. I think that might open up (ESPN's) Prime Time." Dick Vermeil, then-coach of the Rams, later joked with Robinson, asking him, "(Quirk is a) Hell of a tackler, isn't he?"