Tuesday’s NFL roundup: Tomlin regrets his language
Pittsburgh — The father in Mike Tomlin regrets the language he used to describe the Patriots during the postgame speech Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown opted to livestream on social media after Sunday’s playoff victory over Kansas City.
The coach in Tomlin has just as big an issue with one of his team’s biggest stars forcing the Steelers to talk about something other than trying to find a way to finally beat Tom Brady when it counts.
A characteristically blunt Tomlin called Brown’s decision to broadcast to the world more than 17 minutes of Pittsburgh’s giddy locker room celebration — a move that caught Tomlin using a handful of profanities — “foolish,” “selfish” and “inconsiderate.”
“Not only is it a violation of our policy, it’s a violation of league policy, both of which he knows,” Tomlin said Tuesday.
“So there are consequences to be dealt with from his perspective. We will punish him. We won’t punish us.”
Tomlin took responsibility for his choice of words, though he was unaware of being filmed as he spoke.
During Tomlin’s postgame remarks, he attached an expletive to the Patriots, who earned a full day’s head start on preparing for the Steelers by virtue of beating Houston on Saturday night, 24 hours before Pittsburgh outlasted Kansas City, 18-16.
“The responsibility associated with being in this thing, just from a role model standpoint, it’s something that I personally embrace,” Tomlin said.
“It’s something that we as a team and organization embrace. So that’s why the language, specifically, in terms of the content, is regrettable.”
Extra points
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones says he alone will decide the future of quarterback Tony Romo, and there are “several cards to be played.”
Romo started for Dallas for 10 years before losing his job to rookie Dak Prescott after suffering a back injury. The Cowboys are most likely to trade or release him.
... Broncos coach Vance Joseph promoted secondary coach Joe Woods to defensive coordinator, replacing Wade Phillips, who left for the Rams.
... Wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl resigned from the Panthers so he can spend more time watching his sons play college football.
Proehl’s son Austin is a wide receiver at North Carolina. His other son Blake recently committed to play football at East Carolina.
... Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee made his second straight Pro Bowl as an injury replacement after the team’s leading tackler was one of the biggest snubs on the original list.
Lee was named to fill in for Carolina’s Luke Kuechly, who missed the final six games after sustaining a concussion.