PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin says they are generally a disciplined team at his weekly news conference Tuesday. Asked after a pair of players getting unsportsmanlike penalty calls against the Panthers Sunday could have changed the course of the game
“If you are talking about a couple of plays that transpired last Sunday, not good,” Tomlin said about the actions of his team. “But largely I do feel good about the overall discipline of us, certainly.”
Those were the first two unsportsmanlike calls against them this season. The 49ers and Baltimore each have a pair. Minnesota and Dallas have three and Las Vegas and Seattle have four against them.
Last season the Steelers committed three unsportsmanlike penalties, tied with Cincinnati (who played in the Super Bowl) and Detroit (who nowhere near played in the Super Bowl) for second-most in the NFL. Bill Belichick’s New England team had one fewer unsportsmanlike call than the Steelers. In 2020, the Steelers had no unsportsmanlike penalties against them.
Tomlin did not elaborate as to the conversations between him and the two players involved in Charlotte.
“I will leave that in house,” Tomlin said. “I will not give you the pound of flesh you are looking for.”
Marcus Allen getting one right after a defensive stop as the Steelers special teams player went into the Carolina huddle. The flag gave the Panthers a first down and Tomlin admitted after the game it cost them three points. It could have been more, but the defense held them to a field goal.
The Diontae Johnson penalty was after a great individual play to convert a third down in the third quarter. Johnson taunted a Carolina defensive back, the first down counted and the play was minimized as the Steelers were still able to score a touchdown on the 21-play drive.