Pittsburgh Steelers right tackle Broderick Jones was fined $11,255 for a late hit on Indianapolis Colts nickelback Chris Lammons in Sunday’s 27-24 loss. Jones was not penalized on the play, right guard Spencer Anderson was called for unnecessary roughness instead. Jones and Anderson both pounced on Colts defenders late after Cordarrelle Patterson caught a short check down from Justin Fields for a gain of 5.
Anderson did not receive a fine from the league office. Jones’ made more contact, basically spearing Lammons in the back after the play. Both were dangerous and unnecessary plays by both Anderson and Jones.
The Steelers’ possession ultimately stalled after Anderson’s unnecessary roughness penalty, which took the Steelers out of field goal range. In a three-point loss, that was one of many mishaps by the Steelers against Indy.
Jones is the second Steelers player this year to be fined. Steelers tight end Darnell Washington was fined $6,700 for an illegal crackback block in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Washington said he’s appealing the fine.
Steelers All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was not fined for a controversial personal foul penalty in the third quarter. The NFL admitted that the officials got the call wrong, so Fitzpatrick not receiving a fine doesn’t come as a surprise.
Mike Tomlin said he spoke to the NFL office on Monday, and was told “they didn’t like that call, as well.”
But Tomlin pointed out that the Steelers had plenty of other chances to win the game, and that his players have to be ready to deal with adversity in whatever form it comes to them.
“You’re gonna get wronged from time to time, just like the opponent is gonna make a play from time to time,” Tomlin said. “It’s how we respond to it. We still had a lot of opportunity to win that game after that call.”
Fitzpatrick and safety DeShon Elliott both strongly disagreed with the call after the game.
“I thought we were playing football,” Fitzpatrick said. ” I don’t know what we’re playing at this point. It’s a very different game than what I playing and what I grew up loving. Can’t hit nobody hard. Can’t be violent. So, I don’t know what to say anymore.”
Tomlin doesn’t want to make one bad call an excuse for his team’s loss.
“We’d better be mentally tough and we’d better move onto the next snap and understand that at times, that’s a part of the game,” Tomlin said. “The officials aren’t perfect. None of us are. We make mistakes in-game that we have to overcome. If they make a mistake in-game, you’d better be prepared to overcome that, as well. That’s what you learn as an individual and as a collective when instances such as that occur.”
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