Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin insisted after Sunday night's game that his post-game confrontation with Reggie Nelson had nothing to do with the Cincinnati Bengals safety's hit that sidelined Le'Veon Bell.
"I guess a teammate told him I said something regarding him," Tomlin said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "That's untrue. Ask him. I have a lot of respect for Reggie Nelson. He's a good player."
Nelson's hit leaves Bell's status up in the air for this week's playoff game versus the Baltimore Ravens, but Tomlin attributed the spat to "some he-said, she-said type of deal."
Nelson chose to keep the incident between him and the Steelers.
"That's between me and the next man," Nelson said. "If he wants to elaborate on it, he can. My (phone line is) open. James Harrison's got my line. If that's what y'all want to talk about, I ain't gonna talk about it."
As long as Tomlin has no hard feelings about the hit that hyperextended Bell's knee, the heat with Nelson should blow over.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps every Week 17 game and debates the MVP race between Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
