Mike Tomlin on late-game review: I wouldn’t say I got clarity, but I’m not going discuss it further

Pittsburgh Steelers v Green Bay Packers
Getty Images

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was clearly upset with the officials over the use of a replay review late in the fourth quarter of Pittsburgh’s overtime victory over Seattle.

On Sunday, Tomlin said the decision to stop the clock with three seconds left to review D.K. Metcalf‘s catch along the left sideline was “an embarrassment” and that he “hated it.”

On Tuesday, Tomlin said he’d talked with the league about that process but declined to answer any questions about it.

“Yeah, the game was stopped by the replay guy to find confirmation of a component of the play on the field, and I didn’t agree with that in this most significant moment, and I expressed it and I had some conversations with New York regarding it,” Tomlin said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “Got an explanation. I wouldn’t necessarily say I got clarity, but I am not going to discuss it any further. It’s in our rearview. It doesn’t benefit me or us in any way to continue to hash it, re-hash it. And so that’s my position.

“Oftentimes after games and especially after hot and contested games like that, I acknowledge things that transpire in the bowl, particularly things that I think are significant. But on a Tuesday, as we and everybody else is moving forward, it’s fruitless for me to continue to expand upon it in my position and what was said, and who said what, and what I expect in reaction to it. I understand you guys are interested, but pardon me if I don’t indulge.”

Fortunately for Tomlin and the Steelers, Pittsburgh won the game in overtime thanks to a pair of big plays by T.J. Watt. Otherwise, Tomlin would have an extra seven days to stew over that use of replay since the Steelers have their bye this week.

9 responses to “Mike Tomlin on late-game review: I wouldn’t say I got clarity, but I’m not going discuss it further

  1. He better cool off. T.J. Watt should have been thrown out of the game earlier for punching Alex Collin. That was blatant unsportsmanlike conduct, the kind of conduct that Tomlin and his competition committee are supposed to be emphasizing this year.

  2. It didn’t matter since they would have got the spike done with 1-2 seconds on the clock anyway, but that was a really weird review. What were they actually reviewing? if Metcalf stepped out? The fact of the fumble and recovery did not seem questionable at all.

  3. cjmcfootball says:
    October 19, 2021 at 3:37 pm
    It didn’t matter since they would have got the spike done with 1-2 seconds on the clock anyway

    ———————-

    Yes, but only because the line ref gave Seattle a break by allowing the receiver to quickly place the ball himself, around a yard off the proper spot I might add. Had the ref done his job, followed the rules and spotted the ball himself, time would’ve run out.

  4. TimTebowGodOfFootballKarma says:
    October 19, 2021 at 2:59 pm
    So, he was wrong but won’t admit it. Understood.

    —————

    The Steelers swept the Ravens last season.

  5. Could have had the monday night officials who had to have a sermon length conference with the entire group on EVERY penalty. It was ridiculous, caused the game to run late and eliminated any momentum from play. They need to be sanctioned by the league. (Or have their emails read)

  6. “It didn’t matter since they would have got the spike done with 1-2 seconds on the clock anyway, but that was a really weird review.”
    ___________

    No guarantee they were going to get it spiked in time. If the receiver hadn’t the run the ball in to the center they almost certainly don’t because the officials at the spot of the recovery looked to be in no hurry at all.

    About the only legitimate excuse for that review would be if they were looking to see if Metcalf had stepped out of bounds prior to the fumble while doing all his jukes along the sideline. But he was well in bounds so even that explanation would be a major stretch. Everything else was totally clear: Clearly a a catch as he’d ran several yards, clearly a fumble, ball clearly stayed in bounds, and the Seattle player was the only one who jumped on it so a clear recover. That review guaranteed Seattle a FG attempt they very likely wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.

  7. mogogo1 says:
    October 20, 2021 at 10:40 am
    No guarantee they were going to get it spiked in time.
    ——————————–
    Dude, they DID spike the ball in time. 1 second on the clock. Either way, review or not, Seattle would have had the same chance to kick a field goal.

    And seriously, Steelers have no right to complain about officiating in a game against Seattle.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.