Tomlin fined $100,000; Status of draft picks pending

[Eich]

So, you can cheat your way to 3 championships in a highly pre-meditated fashion and get a mere slap of $500k, no suspension and a loss of a single draft pick and destruction of all evidence. But if you potentially impact a single play, mostly likely accidentally, which did not affect the outcome of the game, then you get $100k and potential loss of a draft pick? Good stuff.

[Eich]

theres the problem. many believe it was intentional and that may be the reason draft picks are being considered.

I don't think it was intentional. It's hard to believe that Tomlin is stupid enough to do something like that intentionally, that the entire planet knows is going to be caught on video. Seriously, it's difficult to fathom someone being that stupid - to intentionally attempt to impact a big play knowing you're on camera. If he's really that stupid, we need a new coach.
I don't think it was intentional. I don't think he slowed down the returner. I don't think he really impacted the play at all. I think it was a dumb mistake that he deserved a flag and a fine over. That's it.

[eniparadoxgma]

Yes. Once the investigation is complete, punishment in full should be handed down. To hold it back is ridiculous. If they wanted to take something they should have simply taken a late rounder (even that seems silly). If they push us back in the draft order and affect our early round picks, I will be pissed. I can't stand our league management. Every decision seems completely arbitrary to me.

Maybe I'm missing something but what can they even investigate? It's all on tape. Tomlin said it's unintentional. What else is there?

theres the problem. many believe it was intentional and that may be the reason draft picks are being considered.

And how do they decide if it was intentional?

I don't think it was intentional. It's hard to believe that Tomlin is stupid enough to do something like that intentionally, that the entire planet knows is going to be caught on video. Seriously, it's difficult to fathom someone being that stupid - to intentionally attempt to impact a big play knowing you're on camera. If he's really that stupid, we need a new coach.
I don't think it was intentional. I don't think he slowed down the returner. I don't think he really impacted the play at all. I think it was a dumb mistake that he deserved a flag and a fine over. That's it.

Agree.

[Eich]

Assuming Tomlin makes about 6 Millin dollars a year, 100thousand is like 1,7% of his yearly income. He doesn't even notice that

That's like a $1,700 fine for someone making $100k/yr. Even assuming in both cases that the person is not living beyond their means, I think they'd still notice. It won't hurt but I don't think it tastes very good. It's enough to encourage you not to do it again.

[squidkid]

I don't think it was intentional. It's hard to believe that Tomlin is stupid enough to do something like that intentionally, that the entire planet knows is going to be caught on video. Seriously, it's difficult to fathom someone being that stupid - to intentionally attempt to impact a big play knowing you're on camera. If he's really that stupid, we need a new coach.
I don't think it was intentional. I don't think he slowed down the returner. I don't think he really impacted the play at all. I think it was a dumb mistake that he deserved a flag and a fine over. That's it.

i dislike the guy but i also dont believe he purposely tried to interfere with the returner, but i do believe that he purposely positioned himself in that area(he says to watch the jumbotron. not that he couldnt see it standing back 6 feet).
all the coaches got the league memo the day before regarding this exact situation yet he disregards it. kinda like the dumbasses that smoke dope just before the combine knowing that they are gonna get tested. i dont think the man is stupid but this is a is a headscratcher. i do believe we need a new coach.
overblown or not, tomlin has brought much negativity and embarrassment to himself, the organization and the league.
if we are gonna be stuck with this guy for awhile, hopefully this makes him a better coach

[NorthCoast]

so let me get this straight, Goodell is making the draft pick contingent on final standings, meaning it's a sliding scale penalty????... talk about arbitrary. I wonder, if this had been a perennial loser like the Raiders, would it even had made the news?? someone mentioned already, the fines and penalties are in proportion to media hype and have little to do with enforcement of standards.... sad what the NFL has become.

[pfelix73]

I'm not expecting the Steelers to lose any picks. This is all over with now.

[feltdizz]

i dislike the guy but i also dont believe he purposely tried to interfere with the returner, but i do believe that he purposely positioned himself in that area(he says to watch the jumbotron. not that he couldnt see it standing back 6 feet).
all the coaches got the league memo the day before regarding this exact situation yet he disregards it. kinda like the dumbasses that smoke dope just before the combine knowing that they are gonna get tested. i dont think the man is stupid but this is a is a headscratcher. i do believe we need a new coach.
overblown or not, tomlin has brought much negativity and embarrassment to himself, the organization and the league.
if we are gonna be stuck with this guy for awhile, hopefully this makes him a better coach

Tomlin made the mistake of standing on the same sideline as the returner but lets not act like EVERY coach doesn't stand on the field at random times during the game.

it's a headscratcher to suggest this will some how improve his coaching.

[steelz09]

So, you can cheat your way to 3 championships in a highly pre-meditated fashion and get a mere slap of $500k, no suspension and a loss of a single draft pick and destruction of all evidence. But if you potentially impact a single play, mostly likely accidentally, which did not affect the outcome of the game, then you get $100k and potential loss of a draft pick? Good stuff.

Well said... although I'm not sure if it was truly an accident.

The NFL league office is so inconsistent, it's disgusting. I'm not totally surprised by the fine but I'm SHOCKED by the draft pick talk.

NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said on Tuesday's edition of NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" that Tomlin should have been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.
"Anytime a player or a coach from the sideline is in this white area, that's a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct,"

Does anyone have Dean Blandino's email address? I would love to chat with Mr Blandino because it's obvious to me that he did not watch a single NFL game on Sunday. I was watching several games on Sunday and at ANY given moment, I could see SEVERAL coaches for either teams standing in that white area. I didn't see a single penalty.

Can Mr Blandino explain that? After all, he is the VP of Officiating. Should every referee be fired because they missed that call in every single football game. Better yet, Mr Blandino should be fired as the VP of officiating because he's not enforcing referees to call this penalty but yet he's critical of one coach (Tomlin) for doing the same thing.

The only difference between Tomlin and all these other coaches this past weekend is that Tomlin being in the white area MIGHT have impacted the play. That's true and that is what deserves the fine but Blandino should shut his mouth about anyone in the white area deserving 15 yard penalties because they didn't even enforce it this past week even after the Tomlin incident.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Hopefully this is true

Mark Roly Poly Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib
I believe the draft picks still being dangled is to show the rest of the league that league consider incident serious. No picks will be lost

Uh oh...I would really like to believe that no picks will ultimately be lost, but Roly Poly Kaboly is ALWAYS wrong!