NFL fines Steelers' Mike Tomlin $100,000 for sideline interference

Jim Corbett | USA TODAY Sports

The NFL came down hard on Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who was fined $100,000 Wednesday and still might cost his organization the modification or forfeiture of draft choices for interfering with Baltimore Ravens kick returner Jacoby Jones on Thanksgiving night.

The sanctions were imposed by NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson.

The potential impact on Pittsburgh's draft choices "will be considered after the final order of the 2014 draft has been determined," the league announced in a statement.

Tomlin apologized for his "embarrassing, inexcusable and illegal" blunder Tuesday but said it was not intentional and that he had lost his place along the M&T Bank Stadium sideline. He was interviewed Sunday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and spoke Monday with Anderson and VP of football operations Merton Hanks.

The coach issued a statement through the Steelers on Wednesday after the league made its decision: "As I stated yesterday, I take full responsibility for my actions, and I apologize for causing negative attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. I accept the penalty that I received. I will no longer address this issue as I am preparing for an important game this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins."

NFL fines Steelers coach Mike Tomlin $100,000 Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's ill-timed two-step has cost him $100,000 and could cost his team a pick in next year's draft. The league fined Tomlin $100,000 for interfering with a play against the Baltimore Ravens. (Dec. 4)

Tomlin violated Rule 13, Section 1, Article 4 of the NFL rule book when he crossed into the 6-foot restricted white border that surrounds the playing field during Jones' 73-yard hird-quarter return. Jones was tackled at the 27-yard line, about 11 yards past where Tomlin jumped out of the way to avoid him.

Because Tomlin set foot on the playing field during the play, Jones was forced to veer away from the sideline to avoid the coach, whose back was to the play as he watched it while facing the end-zone big-screen video board.

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Baltimore won the game 22-20.

"I don't ever like to see guys get fined, coaches or players, anything," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco told Minneapolis news reporters in a conference call. The Ravens play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. "I never like to see guys have money get taken out of their pockets, but it is what it is. I haven't really thought too much about it."

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith said the fine was plenty.

"One-hundred thousand dollars? Oh, man,'' Smith said. "That's a lot of money.

"I'm glad it's in the past. Had we lost, I might be blaming him. I'm not going to lie.

"I can't say he did it on purpose because I don't know what he was thinking. But it definitely sends a message across the league.''

And Ravens defensive end Chris Canty backed off his comments to a local radio station in which he said Tomlin committed "a low-life move,'' adding that type of behavior "has no place in our game.''

Canty said Wednesday, "I think the punishment fits the crime. The NFL does a good job of disciplining its employees. I think it's just.''

Meanwhile Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged that pressure will be on everybody to stay off the field of play this week, including the so-called "get-back guys" who are responsible for making sure coaches and players don't cross the line.

"Everybody's going to have those guys on high alert," Harbaugh said. "It's a challenging job. Everybody kind of creeps up there. But your whole team has to understand (and) try to keep guys back out of the white."

Tomlin's standing on the league's competition committee seems to have factored into the stiff penalty the league levied against him and, possibly, the Steelers.

Anderson noted that Tomlin's positioning during the play should also have resulted in a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, which wasn't called by the officiating crew.

The $100,000 fine is equal to the amount levied against the New York Jets when former Jets strength coach Sal Alosi tripped Miami Dolphins gunner Nolan Carroll during a game in 2010. After consulting with the league, Alosi was suspended without pay for the rest of that season, which included three regular-season and three playoff games.

Contributing: Tom Pelissero

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