ORLANDO, Fla. — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he doesn’t like the end-zone celebrations that permeate the NFL and would prefer they not be allowed.
Tomlin said he understands the celebrations were permitted last season for the entertainment of the fans but thinks they set a bad example.
“It’s not a good look for young people,” Tomlin said Tuesday at the annual coaches breakfast at the NFL owners meetings at the Ritz-Carlton resort. “Young people aren’t allowed to celebrate in that way, so why should we?”
Curiously, the Steelers were among the first teams to have orchestrated end-zone celebrations, led by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Le’Veon Bell. Before the celebrations were allowed, wide receiver Antonio Brown was fined several times for end-zone displays.
“I don’t like it, personally, but we’ve relaxed the rules in that area,” Tomlin said. “It’s for the entertainment of the fans, so I respect it on that level. But personally, I don’t like it.
“It’s just my own personal feeling that young people can’t do it — kids can’t do it in high school games — so why do we?”
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First Published: March 27, 2018, 1:23 p.m.
