After multiple infractions at the line of scrimmage, it was Pittsburgh offensive line coach Mike Munchak who drew the first unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the AFC wild-card matchup between the Steelers and Bengals.
Late in the first quarter, Bengals safety Reggie Nelson pushed Jordan Todman out of bounds at the end of a 14-yard carry, and Munchak, a Hall of Fame lineman, stepped in and grabbed Nelson’s hair. Munchak was called for unsportsmanlike conduct and the 15-yard penalty was enforced between downs.
Five plays after the penalty, Nelson made a big sack on Ben Roethlisberger on third-and-6 from the Cincinnati 36-yard line. The play went for a 10-yard loss and pushed the Steelers out of field goal range.
Munchak, 55, is in his second season on staff with the Steelers. He was a nine-time Pro Bowl selection during his career with the Houston Oilers in 1982-1993. -- Laurel Pfahler, contributing writer
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