I’m going to stand up for our old friend from two decades ago in Cleveland, Bill Belichick.

Every time something controversial happens to benefit his New England Patriots, the head coach is accused of cheating, of doing something dishonest and dastardly like he’s some kind of criminal.

But why don’t other head coaches come under the same scrutiny? How do they escape it?

We’re talking about Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Were you watching the Terrible Towels’ AFC wild-card playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night when one of their former players turned linebackers coach Joey Porter, strolled out onto the field in the waning moments when he had absolutely no business doing so and baited one of the Bengals into getting into a shoving match? It resulted in Cincinnati being assessed a second 15-yard personal foul penalty that set up the Towels to kick the deciding field goal in an 18-16 win?

If that had been a Patriots assistant coach and former player baiting an opponent like that to help them win a playoff game, then Belichick would have been demonized to the nth degree. It might have been thrown into prison with a life sentence and no chance of parole.

But for whatever reason, Tomlin doesn’t come under any criticism at all. He’s allowed to skate through it.

And speaking of skating, didn’t Tomlin get flagged in a game against Baltimore in 2013 for stepping out onto the field and interfering with Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones as he was running for a potential touchdown?

Well, yes. Yes, he did.

It was turned into a parody of Tomlin, as he tried to deftly avoid Jones, dancing as if he were on Soul Train. Everybody just laughed it off. Even Tomlin thought it was funny.

Sure, Tomlin got fined $100,000 by the NFL, but it was all just a big mistake, you see. He didn’t really mean to do any harm, don’t you know?

“My bad,” Tomlin said.

And everybody moved on.

Now one of Tomlin’s assistants – who was a loose cannon as a player and once made a cheap-shot hit on Browns punter Chris Gardocki – just happens to wander out onto the field in the heat of the moment and play a major role in his team’s victory, and the head coach doesn’t come under any scrutiny again?

Tomlin is responsible for everything that goes on, on his sideline, especially the actions of the members of his coaching staff.

Hmmmm.

Something doesn’t smell right here.

And how much longer will that stench be allowed to swirl around Mike Tomlin when Bill Belichick isn’t cut the same slack?

By Steve King