Sunday’s Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers matchup led to an unexpected mess. The Eagles won the game 27-13, but a short skirmish at the end of the first quarter halted the game. It happened near the home team’s tunnel, with the Eagles leading 3-0.
Steelers running back Nazi Harris caught a short 7-yard pass from Russell Wilson and drove to the Philadelphia 4-yard line. But Eagles quarterback Darius Slay didn’t like Steelers tight end Darnell Washington’s end-line block. In his rage, Slay appeared to hit Washington’s helmet with his right hand. However, the referees did not see it, nor was it evident in the video review.
“No punches appeared to be thrown by the Eagles players on the field,” explained referee Alan Eck. He added, “New York had an opportunity to watch the game as the flags fell, but there was no video evidence that the Eagles threw a punch.”
However, Washington was charged with unnecessary roughness. Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin… He also received a penalty for his role. The players on the field resolved this dispute within a short time. Interestingly, none of the team’s coaches or other players took to the field.
“If I see a bunch of Eagles players surrounding my teammate, I’m going to go help him,” Austin said. “The referees targeted me because I was probably the biggest player on the field,” joked Austin, who is 5 feet 9 inches and 162 pounds.
Eagles cornerback Kinyon Mitchell and Steelers tackle Broderick Jones were also involved in the mess. But Washington was clear on his role, saying, “I was just doing my job. I played until the whistle, but maybe blocked a little bit longer. I don’t think I did anything wrong though.”
Referee Ek initially appeared prepared to award offsetting penalties, but later awarded both penalties to the Steelers. The Eagles conceded a penalty on Austin, pushing the Steelers back 15 yards.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin lost his temper at this time. FOX cameras caught them telling a referee to step aside in strong language. Tomlin declined to comment on the matter after the game.
“Let them explain themselves about that decision. Why should I?” Tomlin said. Asked about the explanation he received, Tomlin said, “It was not satisfactory.”
One play before the incident, the Steelers recovered the Eagles’ second fumble and began the drive at the Philadelphia 11-yard line. However, after being pushed back 15 yards, Wilson threw two incomplete passes. Chris Boswell finally made a 37-yard field goal to tie the game 3-3.
However, despite this mess, the Eagles continued to play well to win. The game became the talk of the town for the Steelers, and coach Tomlin’s reactions made it even more noteworthy.
