Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Maybe Mike Tomlin might have had the same reaction as Jalen Ramsey did after getting spit on by Ja’Marr Chase on Sunday. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach understood why the veteran defensive back instinctively punched the Cincinnati Bengals receiver in the fourth quarter of the 34-12 Steelers win.
Tomlin was asked during his weekly press conference on Tuesday what he said to Ramsey as he and Chase locked horns shortly before.
“I have no message if someone spits in your face. Do what comes natural,” Tomlin said.
Of course, it seems the first thing that would come to mind after being on the receiving end in such a situation would be to swing. Tomlin’s comment on the matter after the game was more critical, however, centering on the fact that he’d have preferred that Ramsey had been able to remain in the mix.
“I didn’t need any. It doesn’t matter,” Tomlin said when asked if he got an explanation as to what happened. “We’ve got to be smarter. We’ve got to stay in football games as individuals.”
Tomlin was privy to what happened, though.
“I was aware. I certainly talked to Jalen in-game,” Tomlin said. “It’s an unfortunate incident. It’s not an act that’s common to the game of football. It’s nothing to do with football, so I’m not gonna comment on it. The NFL office rendered their judgment, and so we’re moving on.”
Chase denied any wrongdoing after Sunday’s game, but the video suggested he was lying. After the NFL suspended him without pay for the Bengals’ matchup with the New England Patriots, Chase pushed back.
“His argument essentially being, as far as I understand, if he was going to spit on Jalen Ramsey, he would’ve spit on his face rather than on the floor or on his jersey,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said.
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Mike Tomlin Changes Tune on Jalen Ramsey Ejection: ‘Do What Comes Natural If Someone Spits In Your Face’
