NFL Responds To Controversial Taunting Call From Bears-Steelers Game

The NFL’s emphasis on policing taunting reared its head again on Monday night.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers clinging to a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Bears edge rusher Cassius Marsh recorded a timely third-down sack of Ben Roethlisberger.

Marsh’s sack seemingly forced the Steelers into a fourth-and-long from their own side of the field.

However, a Tony Corrente flag negated the play following Marsh’s brief celebration, slight flex towards the opposing sideline, and Corrente’s not so coincidental contact with the Bears linebacker.

No doubt, the official’s call is a controversial one. And the NFL is sticking by it.

According to The Washington Post‘s Mark Maske, “The NFL fully backs the taunting call made Monday night against the [Bears’] Cassius Marsh.”

The NFL fully backs the taunting call made Monday night against the Browns’ Cassius Marsh, source says: “The call was the definition of taunting, with the player gesturing toward the sideline and opponent.”

— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) November 9, 2021

Per Maske’s source, “The call was the definition of taunting, with the player gesturing toward the sideline and opponent.”

After the game, Marsh pointed out Corrente’s “hip-check,” and insisted he was not taunting his former team.

“I think it’s pretty clear to everybody who saw it that I wasn’t taunting. I’ve been doing that celebration my whole career,” the journeyman linebacker told NFL.com.

“It’s just sad to see stuff like that happen in a close game like that.”

Tony Corrente leaned into the contact and then held his flag toss like a walk off three pointer. What a joke pic.twitter.com/MhNlNVewJx

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) November 9, 2021

Marsh continued, “I got hip-checked by the ref and it’s pretty clear. If I were to do that to a ref or even touch the ref, we’d get kicked out of the game and possibly suspended or fined… I just think that was incredibly inappropriate.”

The referee‘s untimely flag is just the latest in what’s been a year of questionable taunting calls.

Much like the “catch rule” of years past, expect this one to be cleaned up by the league office by the time next season rolls around.

The post NFL Responds To Controversial Taunting Call From Bears-Steelers Game appeared first on The Spun.