Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin insulted at suggestion that his players 'let up'
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was upset when his players were criticized for hitting too hard, and now he's upset that his players have been praised for softening things up.
"If I appear short, it's because it's somewhat insulting to me to assume that we're doing anything under any normal circumstances, other than trying to play within the rules," Tomlin said on Tuesday, 26 October, in response to comments made by executive
vice president of football operations, Ray Anderson.
"That's how our guys play, that's how we coach. Number one, first and foremost, is it conducive to winning? That's what our intentions are when we step into stadiums to play, whether it's last weekend, or three weeks ago or a month ago. Or a month from now."
Anderson's comment was in reference to Steelers linebacker James Harrison, who had been handed a $75,000 fine for an illegal hit the previous week against the Cleveland Browns.
Tomlin suggested Harrison had let up when presented with an opportunity to lay a big hit on one of the Miami Dolphins' running backs. Anderson was even quoted as saying, "I applaud James for restraining himself."
Tomlin also suggested that the game would be safer if officials blew their whistles earlier, and had less to do with how his players play the game, or how they are coached.
"Well, you let me know when you hear a whistle. That's one of my contentions. There's been a de-emphasis on the whistle, as far as I'm concerned, in the National Football League – and I don't agree with it. We talk about player safety, yet we don't blow
whistles at the end of football plays. So that's kind of a misnomer when you're talking about the whistle. What we want to do is play until the action ceases."
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