Mike Tomlin stepping onto the field into the path of Ravens kickoff returner Jacoby Jones was a costly mistake -- costly to Tomlin now, and possibly costly to the Steelers come draft time.
The NFL has fined Tomlin $100,000 for interfering with a play in progress. And the NFL is still weighing whether to dock draft picks from the Steelers.
The league’s announcement said that “because the conduct affected a play on the field, a modification or forfeiture of draft choices will be considered after the final order of the 2014 draft has been determined.”
NFL Executive V.P. of Football Operations Ray Anderson made the decision.
The NFL also said that the Steelers should have been given a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The league has not said what actions will be taken against the officials who failed to call that penalty, even though replays show one official was just feet away from Tomlin, and at least one other official had a clear view of the penalty.
There’s no word from the league about the severity of the draft penalties. It’s also not clear whether the Steelers would merely be stripped of a pick, or whether the league would give a Pittsburgh pick to Baltimore as compensation for a rules violation that affected the Ravens.