Adultery at its peak!”
Dean Blandino, the NFL VP of Officiating, remarked, “In such a scenario, the referee has the authority to penalize the team in whatever manner he deems fair, which might involve awarding the Ravens a touchdown. While that wasn’t the case here, Coach Tomlin clearly stepped onto the field. He should have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
Back in December, the New York Jets faced a similar fine when their strength coach, Sal Alosi, organized a sideline barrier that led to Alosi tripping Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll. Alosi received an indefinite suspension from the team and resigned in January 2011.
VICTIM: Baltimore Ravens (Specifically, WR Jacoby Jones)
PUNISHED? Yes
PUNISHMENT: Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was fined $100,000 by NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ray Anderson for encroaching onto the field during his team’s 22-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers risked losing draft picks in 2014 if Tomlin’s action had affected the Ravens’ 2013 playoff standing. Fortunately, it did not.
Following revelations of Tomlin’s audacious act, a curious Twitter user posed a hypothetical scenario: “Imagine if Belichick had tripped a player heading to the endzone? Seal team 6 would be en route to Foxborough.”
In another development, Richard Rydze, a Pittsburgh Steelers team doctor from 1985 to 2007, faced indictment in 2012 due to his extensive involvement in purchasing and illicitly prescribing anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, and painkillers. Rydze also faced charges of health care fraud for falsely diagnosing over 90 patients with pituitary dwarfism to facilitate their receipt of human growth hormones and drugs to counteract steroid side effects.
Rydze’s association with an Orlando, FL, pharmacy implicated in an interstate steroids ring further compounded his legal troubles. Despite not being charged in that investigation, the Steelers removed Rydze from their medical staff in June 2007.
In the decade preceding Rydze’s tenure, several Steelers players admitted to using steroids to gain a competitive edge. Former quarterback Terry Bradshaw confessed to steroid use during his career, citing their medicinal purpose in hastening injury recovery rather than for enhancing performance. Former Saints coach Jim Haslett and ex-quarterback Fran Tarkenton accused the Steelers of pioneering steroid use in the NFL during the ’70s, suggesting it contributed to their success, including four Super Bowl victories.
VICTIM: The entire league
PUNISHED? No, but … it’s highly probable that this constituted cheating
PUNISHMENT: Notably, the Steelers and Rydze denied allegations of providing steroids to players, emphasizing the team’s commitment to player well-being and game integrity. However, given the Steelers’ history of steroid-related controversies, employing Rydze appeared consistent with their practices until his association with the steroid company in 2007 prompted the team to sever ties with him.
The Steelers, along with the Chargers, were at the forefront of exploiting steroids for a competitive edge. Their dominance during this period, including four Super Bowl victories, raises suspicions that their teams of the ’70s were significantly influenced by steroid use, tarnishing the legitimacy of their achievements.
