Mike Tomlin has been fined $100,000.
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been fined $100,000 by the National Football League for impeding the path of Baltimore Ravens Wide Receiver / Kick Returner / Dancing With The Stars Winner Jacoby Jones during last Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day Game.
According to the NFL, in a press release, “with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter, Baltimore’s Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 73 yards to the Pittsburgh 27. During the return, Tomlin – in violation of Rule 13, Section 1, Article 4 of the NFL Rule Book – was in the restricted white border that surrounds the playing field and stepped foot onto the playing field during the play. Tomlin’s positioning in the white border during play should have resulted in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
The man who made the decision to fine Coach Tomlin was NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson.
The NFL also says that a “a modification or forfeiture of draft choices will be considered after the final order of the 2014 draft has been determined.”
The question is how will this impact the Steelers for the rest of the season? They’re already 5 and 7. In order to have a chance at thinking about the playoffs, they would have to win all of their remaining games.
Stay tuned.