The NFL signaled its public support Wednesday for a taunting penalty at a critical moment of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 29-27 victory over the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.
The flag on Bears linebacker Cassius Marsh, following a sack of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, gave the Steelers a first down and led to a 52-yard field goal by place-kicker Chris Boswell.
Marsh said afterwards that he was simply celebrating the sack. But taunting is a point of emphasis for NFL officials this season, meaning officials are looking for it and are authorized to call anything that resembles previous interpretations, and referee Tony Corrente told a pool reporter that Marsh took a "posture" toward the Steelers' bench.