He was only flagged for unnecessary and was not ejected.
In a bizarre sequence on Sunday Night Football, Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward can be seen hitting a defenseless Justin Herbert while on the ground, but nobody seemed to acknowledge it.
In the fourth quarter, Herbert found an open lane and took the ball himself up the field when Heyward began to pursue him. Heyward tackled Herbert from behind but stayed on top of him. When Chargers teammate Joshua Palmer tried to get the defensive end off of his quarterback, Heyward pushed him away, rolled Herbert over on his back, and punched him in the stomach.
The strange part about all of this was that nobody acknowledged it. The broadcasters commended Heyward for his effort while Herbert's teammates, including the quarterback himself, didn't retaliate for the hit and the officials didn't think much of it either.
Normally, a cheap shot like that on a defenseless player would warrant an ejection. Instead, Heyward was flagged for unnecessary roughness and 15 yards. The Chargers would go on to score on that possession and win . A real head-scratcher all around.
More NFL Coverage:
- Rex Ryan Reveals Conversation with Robert Saleh After Feud
- Justin Fields Leaves Bears Game With Ribs Injury
- Jonathan Taylor Has Entered the MVP Discussion
- All Steelers: Who Makes Most Sense As Steelers Next Quarterback?
For more Steelers news, head over to All Steelers.