Getty Cassius Marsh of the Chicago Bears celebrates a sack against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Heinz Field on November 8, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The NFL just doubled down on one of the most questionable penalty calls in recent memory.
When Chicago Bears linebacker Cassius Marsh sacked Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter of their Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup, Marsh did something he had always done: He celebrated the sack with a spinning kick in the air. Marsh then took several steps toward the Steelers sideline, not uttering a word, before he turned to run off the field. As he ran off, it looked very much like referee Tony Corrente had initiated contact with him:
On the taunting penalty, Cassius Marsh says he was hip checked by referee Tony Corrente. He watched the video and called it, “Incredibly inappropriate.”
Corrente said he was unaware the contact occurred.
“On my way to the sideline, I got hip-checked by the ref and it’s pretty clear,” Marsh said after the game. “If I were to do that to a ref or even touch a ref, we’d get kicked out of the game and possibly suspended and fined. I just think that that was incredibly inappropriate.”
Now, almost a week later, Marsh has been fined almost $6,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
ALL the latest Bears news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Bears newsletter here!
Marsh Plans to Appeal Fine, Per NFL Insider
“The league informed Marsh on Friday he’s being fined $5,972 for unsportsmanlike conduct, a source told NFL.com,” Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported on November 13. Pelissero also noted that “Marsh plans to appeal in hopes of getting the fine rescinded.”
You have to feel for Marsh, a journeyman defender who was signed to Chicago’s practice squad the week before the game.
“I think that one was just bad timing,” Marsh said. “I think it was pretty clear to everybody who saw it that I wasn’t taunting. I’ve been doing that celebration my whole career and it’s just sad to see stuff like that happen in a close game like that. It’s just rough, man.”
Follow the Heavy on Bears Facebook page, where you can weigh in on all the latest Bears-related breaking news, rumors, content and more!
NFL Blasted for Doubling Down on Marsh Call
NFL Senior Vice President of Officiating Perry Fewell defended Corrente this week, saying that Marsh took “several steps towards the Pittsburgh bench, posturing towards their sideline.” Now, the fine has been tacked on, and Twitter had some words about it all:
Cassius Marsh is on a 1 year deal for $126,000.
His fine for staring at the team that cut him earlier this season is roughly almost 5% of his salary this season.
Peter King of NBC Sports called the fine “sinful:”
The Corrente call was the equivalent of the emperor with no clothes on.
The NFL’s the emperor. We all watched the game. We all know the flag was total BS. Now, even after the ref hip-checked Marsh, they’re fining him.
It’s sinful, honestly.
Former Bears scouting director Greg Gabriel noted the league wasn’t making the situation any better for anyone involved:
If I’m Cassius Marsh I appeal the $5900 fine for taunting. The NFL is just making a bad call even worse. Bad look in the NFL’s part. I would think he has a good chance of winning the appeal. The ref should be fined for backing up and hitting Marsh purposely
Others simply pointed out the head-scratching hypocrisy of the NFL when it comes to doling out fines lately:
– Mac Jones tries out for MMA: Not fined
– Cassius Marsh traumatized John Mara and Art Rooney II: $6k fine
– Aaron Rodgers violates COVID protocols: $15k fine
– CeeDee Lamb repeatedly untucks shirt: $20k fine
– Denzel Perryman for unpenalized targeting: $55k fine
The NFL, folks!
Some also wondered where the fine for Corrente was:
I don’t know what’s most egregious:
The fact that the ref initiated the contact with Cassius Marsh…
That he got hit with a flag for this…
Or that the NFL announced they were fining Marsh $5,972 for unsportsmanlike conduct…
WHERE IS THE REFS FINE????
t.co/S0Obm6eNAS
Marsh will likely appeal this week, and the results should come shortly after that. The Bears are on their bye week, but it’s clear the team isn’t holding this one against Marsh.
“That was a BS call,” Bears starting inside linebacker Roquan Smith said about the taunting penalty, via NBC Sports. “The man’s been doing that celebration his entire career, and for that to be called一 but hey, it is what it is. … It sucks. It’s just about going to the next play and we just have to eliminate those self-inflicted wounds like this. It’s never good.”
READ NEXT: Justin Fields Sends Strong Message on Aaron Rodgers, Packers