Pittsburgh, PA – October 17, 2025
It’s not the kind of headline the NFL wanted to start its week with. A fierce AFC North showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals — one meant to celebrate two proud franchises — has instead erupted into a storm of controversy that refuses to fade.
The reason? Seven questionable officiating calls that all went against Pittsburgh — calls that, according to head coach Mike Tomlin, “changed the entire rhythm of the game.”
Tomlin didn’t hold back after the narrow 33–31 loss.
“Oh, you didn’t see it? The Steelers gave everything they had out there. Seven flags — all against Pittsburgh. That’s not football, that’s control,” Tomlin said postgame, visibly frustrated. “Our men fought for every inch, every second, every heartbeat. Fans deserve fairness, not favoritism.”
The first controversy came in the opening quarter, when a clean third-down stop by T.J. Watt was erased by a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty — one that replays later showed as a shoulder-level hit. The drive extended and ended in a Bengals touchdown.
Moments later, linebacker Alex Highsmith was flagged for defensive holding away from the play, a call that even former referee Gene Steratore described as “highly debatable” on the CBS broadcast. “That’s a tough one,” he admitted. “There’s no visible restriction on that angle.”
As the game wore on, frustration built. A clear pass interference on a Steelers receiver went uncalled, while a marginal shove by Pittsburgh’s secondary drew yet another flag. The penalty count grew — seven against the Steelers, none against Cincinnati — a statistical imbalance that fans immediately seized upon.
By the fourth quarter, the tension boiled over. When a game-sealing interception by Minkah Fitzpatrick was overturned after review for “illegal contact,” Acrisure Stadium erupted in boos. The replay angles shown on national TV revealed minimal contact — hardly enough to justify a flag.
Social media exploded. Hashtags like #RiggedInCincy, #SteelersSevenFlags, and #FixTheGame began trending minutes after the final whistle. Analysts and former players voiced outrage, calling it one of the most one-sided officiating performances of the season.
Even neutral commentators couldn’t ignore it. ESPN’s Ryan Clark, a former Steeler himself, said bluntly: “You can’t watch that tape and tell me it’s fair. Seven calls, all one way — that’s not discipline, that’s protection.”
After the game, fans flooded comment sections, questioning how the Bengals escaped penalty-free in a rivalry known for its physicality. “Every time the Steelers made a big play, here came another flag,” one post read. “It didn’t feel like football — it felt like control.”
As the NFL’s Officiating Department reviews the film this week, pressure mounts for accountability. Several insiders have confirmed that the league’s review board will look into crew assignments and performance evaluations following the outcry.
Tomlin, however, summed up the feeling of Steelers Nation best:
“When every whistle feels pre-decided,” he said, “you don’t just lose a game — you lose the soul of football itself.”
