Three Pittsburgh Steelers were fined by the NFL for their actions in Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers.
Wide receiver Diontae Johnson and linebacker Marcus Allen were both fined $10,609 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Both players received personal foul penalties for taunting in the game.
Allen was flagged for joining the Carolina Panthers huddle during a TV timeout. Johnson was penalized after he got up and flexed in the face of a Panthers defensive back.
Allen’s penalty, as Carolina was set to punt, cost the Steelers a possession, three points and the momentum the game. Allen said that he let his emotions get the best of him.
“I should’ve just started walking to my team,” Allen said. “Man, I have to keep a better head than that. My emotions got the better of me. Listen, I can’t let that happen. I let down the defense.”
Safety Miles Killebrew was also fined, $8,431 for unnecessary roughness on the kickoff that opened the second half of the game.
That penalty backed the Steelers up for what became a record-setting 21-play drive. That drive went a total of 106 yards, partially because of the need to account for Johnson’s 15-yard penalty later in the drive.
Johnson said that he didn’t see the defender there when he flexed after getting one of his five first downs in the game.
”I was just in the moment celebrating,” Johnson said. “He was just there and he didn’t even say nothing to me. I didn’t see him there. I was just in the moment.”
All NFL fines are based on a percentage of the players’ salary, as mandated by the CBA.