Mike McCarthy Regrets Heated Sideline Exchange With Aaron Rodgers in Loss to Browns
A hot microphone caught Rodgers shouting at his coach to call the play during the first quarter. McCarthy said afterward he wished he had chosen different words. Pittsburgh lost 27-24 on a 56-yard field goal.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said he regrets his part in an angry exchange with Aaron Rodgers that a broadcast microphone picked up during Thursday night's 27-24 loss at Cleveland. "Any negative communication on my part, I wish I wouldn't use those words," McCarthy said.
What happened?
Midway through the first quarter, on an opening drive McCarthy called "hectic," Rodgers was heard yelling an expletive at the sideline followed by "Call it!" The drive lasted 9 minutes, 48 seconds, the Steelers' longest of the season, and ended with a touchdown pass to Roman Wilson. "Communication sometimes is not the best choice of words, but everybody's competing on the field," McCarthy said.
Did it carry over?
The offense stalled afterward. Cleveland scored 21 straight points while Pittsburgh's next six possessions produced 101 yards. Rodgers finished with 299 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions and brought the Steelers back to tie it in the fourth quarter before Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. Pittsburgh is 2-2, and McCarthy and Rodgers are in their first season back together after 13 years in Green Bay.
Players in this story
Sources
- ESPN: Steelers' McCarthy regrets angry exchange with Rodgers in loss
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