Mike Tomlin unknowingly sparked controversy Sunday night with his comments about the New England Patriots. But the Patriots aren’t interested in adding fuel to the fire.
Tomlin’s locker room speech after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ divisional-round victory, in which he called the Patriots “a–holes” and complained about New England getting an extra day to prepare for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, went public thanks to wide receiver Antonio Brown’s “Facebook Live” video.
As such, the Steelers coach’s remarks made their way to New England’s locker room. Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower admitted he didn’t see the video but was told what Tomlin said, and apparently he couldn’t care less.
“I don’t care,” Hightower said Monday in an appearance on WEEI’s “OM&F” radio show, via WEEI.com. “Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?”
Tomlin obviously never intended for the Patriots to hear his comments, but apparently New England isn’t paying them any mind. The incident did open Pittsburgh up for a bit of criticism, though, as Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman appeared to call out Tomlin and the Steelers for creating an environment that would allow Brown to post that video.
“That’s how that team is run,” Edelman said during his interview with “OM&F,” via WEEI.com. “I personally don’t think that would be something that would happen in our locker room, but hey, whatever.”
Edelman also added that Facebook Live videos wouldn’t be on his radar after a win.
“I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “Let’s just say that and I’d be more worried about just trying to celebrate with my teammates and keeping it internal.”
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
