Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds made it known Friday that he wasn’t fined for his hit on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan last Sunday.
Jason Worilds said he did not get fined for his penalized hit on Atl QB Matt Ryan.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) December 19, 2014
Worilds, who had sacked Ryan on 2nd and 8 play from the Steelers 35 yard-line with 5:58 left in the first half, was penalized for roughing the passer on the play as referee Clete Blakeman deemed the hit on the Falcons quarterback to be too high and in the head and neck area.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talked to Blakeman about the hit later in the game.
He said he thought the hit was a little high,” Roethlisberger said. “He’s one of the good referees. He’s fair. He’ll protect the quarterback, which is what he’s supposed to do. But he won’t call a penalty that makes you go, ‘What the heck was that?’ We didn’t like it because it went against one of our guys. But it’s hard to be too mad at him because that’s a judgment call. That’s a bang-bang play.”
The roughing the passer penalty on Worilds was huge because instead of it being 3rd down and 19, the Falcons were awarded a first down at the Steelers 21 yard-line. Three plays later the Falcons had there first score of the game as Ryan connected with wide receiver Devin Hester from 17 yards out.
