NFL Writer from Enfield Blasts Steelers-Bengals Fiasco

One of the most respected football writers in America has written a scathing “open letter” to NFL players following the bizarre series of events near the end of Saturday’s Pittsburgh-Cincinnati AFC playoff game.

In his Monday Morning Quarerback (MMQB) column in Sports Illustrated, Peter King, a 1975 Enfield High School graduate and member of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame, took aim at several dirty plays, the presence of assistant coaches illegally on the field and contact a Bengal player made with an official, resulting in 30 yards of penalties which enabled the Steelers to kick a game-winning field goal with 14 seconds remaining.

“This is what the Steelers and Bengals showed 27 million Americans about the great game of professional football. Your game. The game your coaches—from youth ball up to the NFL—have taught you to play fairly,” King wrote to the players. “This was the lesson from the climax of this playoff game: Stop at nothing to win, even if it means concussing the opposition. Taunt your foes. Hit them with the crown of your helmet. Sneak onto the field to induce them into a penalty.

Anything to win the game.

Demean yourselves. Shame your former coaches and your parents. Show them if you win the game, it’s all good. All’s fair in love and football.”

King responded to a comment made to him by Cincinnati’s Reggie Nelson following a late regular season game against Denver, in which the player said, “We have to take care of ourselves. We’re one big family out there on the field.”

In his letter to the players, King acknowledged Nelson’s comment by responding, “Too many times you don’t look like a family. You look like you want to physically harm the men on the other side of the line. That has to end. Forget about today. Think of all the people who look at games like Steelers-Bengals and say it’s a big reason why football is a dinosaur, and our kids should be playing sports with very little contact. More games like this, and Congress will get involved. And I would be happy if Washington does, because games like that one show you’re not capable of looking out for the common good.”

Read Peter King’s entire column at www.mmqb.si.com.