Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a hit on a defenseless player in the third quarter Sunday. He didn’t agree with the penalty.
“I thought we were playing football,” Fitzpatrick said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “I don’t know what we’re playing at this point. Very different game than what I grew up playing and what I grew up loving. Can’t hit nobody hard, can’t be violent. So I don’t know. I don’t know what to say anymore.”
Officials flagged Fitzpatrick for a hit on Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The hit did not look egregious. As Fitzpatrick was running toward Mitchell, the ball fell incomplete. Fitzpatrick appeared to pull up and didn’t lead with his head, but he did make contact.
Analyst Adam Archuleta said on the CBS broadcast he disagreed with the penalty, and Firtzpatrick’s teammate, DeShon Elliott, called it “bullshit.”
“They said he’s a defenseless player, and I hit him in the head,” Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t understand how he’s defenseless. If he’s going for the ball, I’m going to make a play on him or the ball. Just because he puts his arms down at the last second, [it] shouldn’t be a penalty. Didn’t hit him in the head either. But like I said, you hit people hard, and they throwing flags now.”
The 15-yard penalty helped the Colts as they drove for a touchdown that made it 24-10 with 14:43 left.
“I have every single right to go for the ball,” Fitzpatrick said. “If I don’t clean him and put my head into his head, it shouldn’t be a penalty. I’m allowed to go for the ball, just like he’s allowed to go for the ball, and I don’t even know how we’re supposed to play anymore.”
