‘You Got It!’ Mike Tomlin Explains Benching of Broderick Jones

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expressed both satisfaction and frustration following the team's narrow 13-6 victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 2. While pleased with the win, Tomlin was clear that the Steelers’ performance, particularly on offense, needs to improve as the season progresses.

During his postgame press conference, Tomlin emphasized that the team's lack of discipline and repeated penalties were unacceptable.

“You can't produce or sustain drives being penalized the way that we were, so we've got some work ahead of us there,” Tomlin stated . "Just from a knee-jerk reaction standpoint though, that was the most troublesome component of the game."

The Steelers were flagged nine times for a total of 78 yards against Denver, with six of those penalties occurring on offense, significantly stalling their progress. One of the more glaring examples was an offensive pass interference call on Van Jefferson that wiped out a George Pickens touchdown late in the first half.

Right tackle Broderick Jones was a key figure in the Steelers’ penalty woes. Jones played just 11 snaps but was flagged three times on a single drive, including a holding penalty that nullified a 51-yard completion from quarterback Justin Fields to Pickens. Tomlin didn't mince words when asked about his decision to bench Jones.

“You got it,” Tomlin said, confirming that the benching was due to Jones' lack of discipline.

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While Jones was allowed to rotate and prove his worth, his performance may have jeopardized his standing on the team moving forward.

As the Steelers turn their focus to Week 3, they face another challenging test on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. With the Chargers’ aggressive defensive front, Pittsburgh will need to clean up their offensive mistakes and sharpen their discipline to avoid penalties that could prove costly. The team’s ability to rebound from their struggles will be critical in maintaining their winning momentum against a formidable opponent.