Steelers downplay Tomlin’s vulgar description of Patriots
PITTSBURGH (AP) Antonio Brown wanted to let the world in on the party when he live-streamed the giddy celebration in Pittsburgh’s locker room after an 18-16 playoff win over Kansas City.
The All-Pro wide receiver also happened to catch coach Mike Tomlin indelicately describing the New England Patriots, the Steelers’ opponent in the AFC Championship game. Tomlin’s word choice – an expletive – didn’t bother his players as much as Brown’s decision to throw back the curtain on what is usually a private moment.
”Personally I’d like some of that stuff sacred,” long snapper Greg Warren said Monday. ”But this is a changing world, a changing environment. I can’t be some old guy stuck under a rock, that’s for sure.”
Brown’s 17-minute video collected more than 900,000 views in a few hours before being removed (though it lives on through YouTube). It included players dancing and Tomlin – who was out of the shot and unaware it was being filmed but who could be heard clearly in the packed locker room – beginning his postgame speech by telling the Steelers to ”say very little moving forward,” and then adding ”we spotted those (expletive) a day and a half.” New England advanced to the title game by beating Houston on Saturday night, 24 hours before the Steelers held off the Chiefs.
Guard Ramon Foster ”would love to hear AB’s explanation,” but downplayed any concerns about the video becoming a distraction or take away from Pittsburgh’s ninth straight victory.
”I don’t think that overshadowed it,” Foster said. ”You guys know what that was. It’s a bunch of guys having fun, talking, enjoying themselves. That’s simply what that was. It wasn’t anything malicious. It just happens…