Steelers told: "Get in line or get kicked out"

[hawaiiansteel]

Big Ben practices; Steelers tell team to 'get in line' or get out

Apr 19, 2010


Ben Roethlisberger practiced Monday with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with several players saying they were warned that misconduct will not be tolerated. One added they were told to "get in line" or "get kicked out of line."

Roethlisberger was on the field a week after learning he will not be charged by Georgia prosecutors for sexual assault. The quarterback did not speak to reporters after practice.

The NFL said Monday there is no timetable for a decision on possible punishment, although the Steelers expect the league to act next week. Commissioner Roger Goodell declined to publicly verify reports that he may decide Tuesday or Wednesday, but confirmed to the Dan Patrick Radio Show that there has been a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

"Yes, there has been a violation of that," Goodell said. "The issue here is respect to a pattern of behavior ... bad judgments."

At a meeting before the Steelers' Monday practice, multiple players said they were told the team now has a zero-tolerance policy regarding misconduct. Wide receiver Santonio Holmes, the MVP of the Steelers' Super Bowl victory in February 2009, was traded to the Jets for a fifth-round draft pick last week following a series of problems.

"We were told early this morning that either you get in line or you'll get kicked out of line — you're going to be traded or you're not going to be here," right tackle Willie Colon said. "If your conduct is going to play a part in you not being a good football player, they're going to get rid of you."

Coach Mike Tomlin denied delivering such a message, but defensive end Aaron Smith confirmed remarks were made to the Steelers "as a group."

"Guys took it different ways, depending on how they interpreted it, but I think ... after what we've seen go on, there's not going to be much tolerance for stuff around here," Smith said.

This was a voluntary practice for the Steelers, their first since they concluded a 9-7 season in January. Roethlisberger also participated in off-the-field conditioning work for several days last week.

The quarterback had been accused by a college student of sexual assault in March. Team president Art Rooney II said the Steelers were ready to punish the quarterback, but declined to do so because such action could be contested by the players' union.

[url="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Ben-Roethlisberger-practices-Steelers-tell-team-to-get-in-line-041910"]http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Ben- ... ine-041910[/url]

[birtikidis]

THey asked tomlin about this during the press confrerence this afternoon on the NFLN (it was about the draft), Tomlin said that "someone was pulling your leg" because he never said that. more sensationalism? probably.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers hear of new zero-tolerance policy

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 19, 2010


Multiple Pittsburgh Steelers players said today that coach Mike Tomlin gathered them together and informed them of a new zero-tolerance policy for off-field misconduct.

"We were told early this morning either you get in line or you get kicked out of line," said offensive lineman Willie Colon, who was with Ben Roethlisberger in Georgia the night he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a bar bathroom. "You are going to be traded or you're not going to be here. If your conduct is going to play a part in you not being a good football player, they are going to get rid of you. . . . There is a zero tolerance, not only with the NFL but with the Steelers."

According to the Associated Press, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin denied making those remarks. But the AP also reports that multiple players confirmed they were told there's a new zero-tolerance policy.

"Guys took it different ways, depending on how they interpreted it, but I think . . . after what we've seen go on, there's not going to be much tolerance for stuff around here," defensive end Aaron Smith said.

It's interesting that Smith says players "took it different ways," because one of the reasons the Steelers have been subject to criticism on this front is that the team has handled off-field misconduct in different ways for different players. Two years ago, when star linebacker James Harrison was accused of domestic violence, the Steelers were quick to accept his explanation. When mediocre wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was accused of domestic violence, the Steelers were quick to cut him.

That seeming contradiction led to Steelers owner Dan Rooney releasing a statement saying, "Each incident must be considered on a case-by-case basis." But "zero tolerance" suggests that future incidents won't be considered on a case-by-case basis, and that any incident at all would lead the Steelers to send a player packing.

Last week, Steelers President Art Rooney II acknowledged that a player's contributions on the field will be considered when the team determines whether to keep a player who has gotten into off-field trouble.

"As you can imagine, to keep our commitment to our fans to consistently put the best possible team on the field, we must also evaluate a player's likely contribution, both in short term and the long term," Rooney said.

And so we expect the Steelers to live up to their zero-tolerance policy if the next guy to get in trouble is the 53rd man on the roster. The real test of the Steelers' mettle is whether they'll apply "zero tolerance" to their stars. So far, they haven't.

[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/19/steelers-hear-of-new-zero-tolerance-policy/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ce-policy/[/url]

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers hear of new zero-tolerance policy

Posted by Michael David Smith on April 19, 2010


Multiple Pittsburgh Steelers players said today that coach Mike Tomlin gathered them together and informed them of a new zero-tolerance policy for off-field misconduct.

"We were told early this morning either you get in line or you get kicked out of line," said offensive lineman Willie Colon, who was with Ben Roethlisberger in Georgia the night he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a bar bathroom. "You are going to be traded or you're not going to be here. If your conduct is going to play a part in you not being a good football player, they are going to get rid of you. . . . There is a zero tolerance, not only with the NFL but with the Steelers."

According to the Associated Press, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin denied making those remarks. But the AP also reports that multiple players confirmed they were told there's a new zero-tolerance policy.

"Guys took it different ways, depending on how they interpreted it, but I think . . . after what we've seen go on, there's not going to be much tolerance for stuff around here," defensive end Aaron Smith said.

It's interesting that Smith says players "took it different ways," because one of the reasons the Steelers have been subject to criticism on this front is that the team has handled off-field misconduct in different ways for different players. Two years ago, when star linebacker James Harrison was accused of domestic violence, the Steelers were quick to accept his explanation. When mediocre wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was accused of domestic violence, the Steelers were quick to cut him.

That seeming contradiction led to Steelers owner Dan Rooney releasing a statement saying, "Each incident must be considered on a case-by-case basis." But "zero tolerance" suggests that future incidents won't be considered on a case-by-case basis, and that any incident at all would lead the Steelers to send a player packing.

Last week, Steelers President Art Rooney II acknowledged that a player's contributions on the field will be considered when the team determines whether to keep a player who has gotten into off-field trouble.

"As you can imagine, to keep our commitment to our fans to consistently put the best possible team on the field, we must also evaluate a player's likely contribution, both in short term and the long term," Rooney said.

And so we expect the Steelers to live up to their zero-tolerance policy if the next guy to get in trouble is the 53rd man on the roster. The real test of the Steelers' mettle is whether they'll apply "zero tolerance" to their stars. So far, they haven't.

[url="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/04/19/steelers-hear-of-new-zero-tolerance-policy/"]http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ce-policy/[/url]

Was that another team that just gave away a Super Bowl MVP who caught 79 passes for 1,248 yards last season for a mere 5th round pick? The Steelers did that, right?

[flippy]

There's Ben and then everyone else is considered player 53.

[SS Laser]

Was that another team that just gave away a Super Bowl MVP who caught 79 passes for 1,248 yards last season for a mere 5th round pick? The Steelers did that, right? [/quote]

No it was the steelers LOL. But most smart people see that homles was 98% done with the steelers after this year. He wants big money. So that made the decision very easy to part ways now.

I think case by case is the way it should be by the way. This is still a business.