SBNation - The late penalty that doomed the Bengals...

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...was provoked by a Steelers coach illegally on the field

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Joey Porter lingered on the field and got in the face of Cincinnati Bengals players when Adam Jones committed an unfortunate foul.

Lost amidst the finger-pointing at the Cincinnati Bengals' utter collapse at the end of their playoff loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers is the strange actions by Steelers linebackers coach and former player Joey Porter.

As Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown was being tended to by trainers and staff of the Steelers, Porter came on the field. As Brown was being led off the field by said trainers, Porter lingered in the middle of the field and chattered with an official and some Bengals.

Rule 13.1.2 is pretty clear:

Either or both team attendants and their helpers may enter the field to attend their team during a team timeout by either team. No other non-player may come on the field without the Referee's permission, unless he is an incoming substitute (5-2-2).

During any team timeout, all playing rules continue in force. Representatives of either team are prohibited from entering the field unless they are incoming substitutes, or team attendants or trainers entering to provide for the welfare of a player, and any game-type activities are prohibited on the Field of Play.

Not even head coaches are allowed on the field.

Porter is not a trainer for the Steelers, he's a linebackers coach. Is it possible Porter obtained permission from an official to come onto the field in a heated game between two rivals? Unlikely.

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