Mike Tomlin: NFL has contacted Steelers about players not wearing masks in postgame dance video

Could the Pittsburgh Steelers become the latest team to be punished by the NFL for players not wearing masks during a postgame celebration?

Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged Tuesday that the organization has heard from the league about a celebration dance video that was posted by wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster in the aftermath of a 28-24 victory Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

“That is something we are going to address with our group,” Tomlin said Tuesday at his weekly press conference.

The players, mainly comprised of wide receivers, tight ends and running backs, did a somewhat choreographed dance routine near the Steelers logo in the locker room after a win that gave the Steelers the AFC North title for the first time since 2017.

"Corvette Corvette!"

JuJu goes right back at the haters and drops a new TikTok after the Steelers big win ?

(via @TeamJuJu) pic.twitter.com/yr6EuyKJlw

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 27, 2020

Several players were not wearing masks – a violation of the NFL’s covid-19 protocols — in the video that Smith-Schuster posted to his TikTok account.

“Obviously, emotions were what they were in terms of being division champs, but we are in a global pandemic, and we take that very seriously,” Tomlin said. “We have to control our emotions. It is a continual education process in terms of making sure our guys understand how important it is that we adhere to the protocols of the pandemic.

“Sometimes the education is punitive in nature, and that is just the reality of it, but we will keep that business in-house.”

The New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 and stripped of a seventh-round draft pick when players did not wear masks during a locker room celebration following a 38-3 victory against Tampa Bay in Week 9. The Saints appealed the punishment.

The Las Vegas Raiders were fined $500,000 and lost a sixth-round draft pick because of violation’s of the NFL’s covid-19 policy. Coach Jon Gruden also was fined $150,000.

The Steelers previously were fined $250,000 and Tomlin was docked $100,000 for not wearing a mask at all times during a Week 8 victory at Baltimore.

“Make no mistake about it. We take this global pandemic very seriously,” Tomlin said. “We take the guidelines prescribed by the NFL very seriously. We work our tails off to adhere to them even in the midst of big emotional moments like we experienced after securing our AFC North championship. There are still lessons to be learned.”