Steelers HC Mike Tomlin says the NFL admitted they made a mistake on game-changing penalty vs. Colts
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no one to blame but themselves regarding Sunday's loss against the Indianapolis Colts. That being said, there were more than a few questionable calls that went the way of the home team, with one of them being outright egregious. Turns out, even the NFL thought the hit delivered from Minkah Fitzpatrick […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers have no one to blame but themselves regarding Sunday's loss against the Indianapolis Colts.
That being said, there were more than a few questionable calls that went the way of the home team, with one of them being outright egregious.
Turns out, even the NFL thought the hit delivered from Minkah Fitzpatrick on Sunday was clean:
'New York didn't like that call"
"You know you're going to get wronged from time to time, just like the opponent is going to make a play from time to time, but it's how we respond to it," Coach Tomlin said of the officiating in Sunday's loss. "We still had a lot of opportunity to win that game after that call in particular. I didn't like that call. I talked to New York [NFL League Office] yesterday. They didn't like that call as well, but it doesn't help me on a Monday. So on Sundays, we better be mentally tough, and we better move on to the next snap and just understand the times. That's a component of the game. The officials aren't perfect. None of us are. We make mistakes in game that we have to overcome, and if they make a mistake in game, we better be prepared to overcome that as well. That's what you learn as an individual and a collective in instances such as that."
The penalty points to a larger issue in football and one that Minkah Fitzpatrick addressed in his postgame media session when asked what he thought of the game changing call:
"I mean, I thought we were playing football," Fitzpatrick said after the game. "I don't know what we're playing at this point. Very different game than what I grew up playing and what I grew up loving. Can't hit anybody hard, can't be violent. I don't know what to say…
"…The ref said he was defenseless and I hit him in the head. I didn’t even hit him in the head.”
The game of football was always going to need changing after the onset of the concussion lawsuit, and protecting defenseless players is a key factor in said change. But what can't be sacrificed is the integrity of the game and the physical standard in which it is played.
That happened on Sunday.
