Taunting penalty against Cassius Marsh costs Bears in 29-27 loss to Steelers

PITTSBURGH – Cassius Marsh has done the same sack celebration for years. It’s a spinning kick to put an exclamation point on the most exciting play that a pass rusher can make.

When the new Bears outside linebacker sacked Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger late in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game, he did his usual celebration and walked toward the Steelers’ bench. According to Marsh himself, he didn’t say a word. But it was the action that cost him. Referee Tony Corrente flagged Marsh for taunting.

The sack came on third down and would’ve forced the Steelers, who led by three at that point, to punt the ball back to the Bears. But the taunting penalty gave Pittsburgh an automatic first down. It led to a Steelers field goal. In a game decided by two points, a 29-27 Steelers win, it’s fair to argue that it cost the Bears the game.

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“First of all, keep in mind that taunting is a point of emphasis this year,” Corrente said after the game. “And with that said, I saw the player, after he made a big play, run toward the bench area of the Pittsburgh Steelers and posture in such a way that I felt he was taunting them.”

Marsh didn’t see it that way. He did the same celebration he always does. It was his first sack as a member of the Bears. The 29-year-old was called up from the practice squad just a few days ago, trying to make up for the absence of Khalil Mack.

Marsh said he has never in his eight-year NFL career been flagged for his signature celebration. He didn’t know there was a penalty flag on the play until he was back on the team’s sideline.

“That one was just bad timing,” Marsh said. “I think it’s pretty clear to everybody who saw it that I wasn’t taunting. I’ve been doing the celebration my whole career. It’s just sad to see stuff like that happen in a close game like that. It’s just rough man.”

Marsh took exception to the fact that the ref “hip-checked” him as he was running back to the Bears’ sideline. For what it’s worth, Corrente said the penalty had nothing to with the contact they made as Marsh was running off the field.

“That I’m not aware of at all, no,” Corrente said. “I didn’t judge that as anything that I dealt with.”

Bears coach Matt Nagy said he needed to look at the replay before he could make a comment on the play.

“It doesn’t matter what I think and when I look at it,” Nagy said. “But the biggest thing, what they’re trying to direct is whatever you do, don’t do it [celebrate] to your opponent. Do it to your own teammates if you’re celebrating.”

The Bears had plenty of penalties to take exception with on Monday. They were penalized 12 times for 115 yards. Their quarterback found himself on the ground a lot, but the Steelers were never flagged for hitting Justin Fields late. In fact, the Steelers were penalized just five times for 30 yards.

Fields said that at one point he told the refs to call the same penalties for him that they were for Roethlisberger.

“Big Ben just got that call, so I don’t know why you can’t give me that call,” Fields said. “I just needed him to call it both ways. So that’s what I told him.”