The NFL world has been reacting to the abomination that was the officiating in Monday night’s game between the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, particularly how the Bears got the short end of the stick with a slew of questionable calls and no calls.
But just when you think the officiating couldn’t get worse, the NFL apparently has defended one of the most egregious calls of the night — the questionable taunting call on outside linebacker Cassius Marsh.
“The call was the definition of taunting, with the player gesturing toward the sideline and opponent,” a source told The Washington Post‘s Mark Maske.
Let the video do the talking:
Cassius Marsh got called a taunting penalty for this 🤔
pic.twitter.com/UAAltwx4tr— Unfiltered Media ™️ (@UnfilteredInd) November 9, 2021
There was no gesturing, no taunting involved. Should Marsh have walked toward the Steelers sideline? No. But he also didn’t do anything that would indicate taunting.
Marsh also indicated that official Tony Corrente intentionally hip-checked him before throwing the flag for taunting. According to Maske, the source said the NFL doesn’t consider the allegation legitimate.
The league does not give credence to Cassius Marsh's accusation that referee Tony Corrente intentionally hip-checked him as Marsh moved past the referee toward the Bears' sideline. Asked if the NFL considers that allegation legitimate, source says: "No." https://t.co/KMt2CogNlx
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) November 9, 2021
No matter how you look at it, Corrente’s crew was responsible for one of the worst officiated games in recent memory. And even though the NFL is choosing to back one of their own, it doesn’t mean it’s the right call.
