Skip to content

Steelers' Mitchell sounds off on inconsistent discipline in NFL

Peter Aiken / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Warning: Story/video contains coarse language

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell, who's been fined four times by the NFL for taunting and dangerous hits, demanded a comprehensive rulebook following the suspensions handed out to teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cincinnati Bengals safety George Iloka (the latter was reduced to a fine on Wednesday).

Smith-Schuster, Iloka, and New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski are all suspended for one game, which they'll each serve in Week 14, something Mitchell clearly doesn't agree with.

"We've got to do better as players when we sign the next CBA, we've got to get better leadership as who's running the league because obviously everybody from fans, owners, players are all disappointed in Roger Goodell," Mitchell said. "We've just got to do better, we can't have a guy where you just hand out discipline on how you see fit, there needs to be a set guideline of how we do what we do."

Mitchell acknowledged the physical dangers of football as something he and others signed up for, but he put an emphasis on offensive players needing to take more accountability for the risks they take.

"This is football, if you want to see flag football then let's take our pads off, that'll make it easier for me cause then I don't have to wear heavy s—," he said. "But then give me flags for us to pull off because then I know what we're playing."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox