Ben Roethlisberger will pick up the tab for any fines to his offensive line after Week 10

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Carolina Panthers in convincing fashion on Thursday Night Football, but it didn’t come without controversy and/or concern.

In the third quarter, Ben Roethlisberger scrambled for a first down. Noticing he had already passed the yard to gain, and realizing he wouldn’t be able to reach the endzone, Roethlisberger took to a feet first slide.

Panthers safety Eric Reed must not have seen Roethlisberger giving himself up, and hit the Steelers’ quarterback with his shoulder directly in the facemask. Roethlisberger’s head snapped back, and he is fortunate he was able to bounce right back up after taking such a blow to the head.

But the play didn’t end there. David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey both rushed to Roethlisberger’s aid. Not to see if No. 7 was okay, but to more or less let Reid know what he did isn’t going to fly. Not at Heinz Field. Not against this team.

Reid was ejected from the game, and one has to wonder if the Steelers wouldn’t have had tried to exact their own revenge on Reid had he remained in the game, or if the threat of this went into the decision to eject, rather than just penalize Reid.

Either way, according to Maurkice Pouncey, Roethlisberger told the offensive line if any of them get fines for their involvement in the skirmish, Roethlisberger has them covered.

This from Will Graves of the Associated Press:

You can’t blame Roethlisberger for doing something like this, especially after watching his teammates stand up for him in the way they did.

Will Pouncey and/or DeCastro be hearing from the NFL league offices this upcoming Monday? There is a chance, but I doubt anyone has a problem with it.

Stay tuned to more news surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers as they go into a weekend break before returning and starting their preparations for the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11.