Sports

David DeCastro of the Pittsburgh Steelers shoves Eric Reid of the Carolina Panthers after a late hit on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during their game Thursday night at Heinz Field. (Joe Sargent / Getty Images)

Watch: Dangerous Hit Leads to Ejection, Fight in Steelers vs. Panthers

By Ross Kelly November 9, 2018 at 12:54pm

The Carolina Panthers didn’t put up much of a fight during their 52-21 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field, but one dangerous hit did prompt some scuffling on the field.

Late in the third quarter with Pittsburgh up 38-14, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense were facing a third-and-8 in Carolina territory.

After dropping back and seeing no open receivers, Roethlisberger scrambled up the middle and went into a slide around the 15-yard-line.

Panthers safety Eric Reid flew in and delivered a shot while the quarterback was sliding, setting off a wave of events.

Eric Reid taking a shot at Ben Roethlisberger, who was clearly sliding. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/rUWQLyyzbi

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 9, 2018

Reid hit Roethlisberger around the facemask, which caused his head to bounce off the ground. Officials quickly threw flags on the play.

Steelers offensive linemen ran in to defend their quarterback. David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey were the most demonstrative and got into the face of Reid. Players from both teams had to stop the linemen from going after Reid.

David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey sticking up for their QB after Eric Reid’s hit on Ben Roethlisberger. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/ql2gHuPXOZ

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) November 9, 2018

The officials then ejected Reid, under a new league rule, for initiating contact with the helmet. Before this season, it would have been a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and Reid would have stayed in the game.

Before Reid left the field, he and Roethlisberger bumped hands and buried the hatchet.

Great moment of sportsmanship between Eric Reid and Big Ben. ? pic.twitter.com/2ARcHKovzk

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 9, 2018

After the game, Roethlisberger revealed what Reid said to him at that moment: “‘Sorry. Didn’t mean it. No intent there.'”

The quarterback also talked about his linemen stepping up for him after the hit.

Do you think Eric Reid deserved to be ejected for that hit?

“Those are my guys,” Roethlisberger said. “When it happened, I kinda popped up and next thing I know, I saw those two guys running and the cavalry right behind them, so I just got out of the way.

“It doesn’t surprise me, I guess, either, because of how close we are. Makes you feel pretty good, though.”

Right after the play happened, Reid threw his hands up in the air in reaction to flags being thrown. After the game, he was still confused as to what he could have done differently.

Reid said he went up to Roethlisberger after the hit and told him he didn’t mean to hit him and Ben said there were no hard feelings. Reid said “my job is to tackle the person with the ball.”

Added consistency in calls would be better. “I don’t know, am I supposed to wait?”

— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) November 9, 2018

Reid will likely be fined for the play, which would be his second of the season. He had to fork over $10,026 last month for another unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a game against the Eagles.

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