Steelers HC Mike Tomlin backs NFL emphasis on taunting penalties

The NFL's emphasis on flagging players for taunting penalties this season has been a controversial subject for much of the year, first when the idea was mentioned back in April and, more recently, when the entire football community saw referees enforce this crackdown during meaningful games. 

Perhaps the most scrutinized taunting call of the campaign to date occurred in the fourth quarter of Monday's prime-time matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears. Chicago linebacker Cassius Marsh was flagged after he celebrated notching a sack that would've resulted in Pittsburgh punting the ball away during a crucial point of the contest. 

The Steelers ultimately defeated the Bears 29-27 to improve to 5-3, and Pittsburgh head coach and NFL competition committee member Mike Tomlin spoke with reporters Tuesday about the league's attempt to eliminate acts of taunting from games. 

"We’re trying to clean our game up," Tomlin said, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "We embrace the responsibility of being the role models that we are. We understand people at a lower level watch us and mimic what we do." 

Washington Football Team head coach and fellow competition committee member Ron Rivera said earlier in the season the NFL's attempts to remove anything that could be deemed taunting from on-the-field action was largely about preventing fights and instances of players seeking "revenge" on a celebrating opponent. 

Fans and analysts alike blasted the call on Marsh via Twitter shortly after the flag hit the field Monday night, but Tomlin's comments suggest the league isn't changing its mind about this subject through at least the Super Bowl in February.