Mike Tomlin Finally Reveals What Happened on Infamous Kickoff Return ‘Trip’

The Steelers coach didn’t realize he was in Jacoby Jones’s path until he saw himself on the Jumbotron.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin may have a long, successful tenure at the helm in Pittsburgh, but one infamous moment in the infamous the 2013 Steelers-Ravens’ game on Thanksgiving night is one that Tomlin would likely like to forget.

With 6:26 left in the third quarter, then-Ravens All-Pro kick returner Jacoby Jones raced down the Steelers sideline for what should have been a guaranteed touchdown for Baltimore. Instead, Jones altered his running stride and his pace when Tomlin stepped onto the field in his path before stepping back behind the sideline. 

Tomlin changed an assured touchdown for Jones to a 73-yard kick return as he was tackled by Ravens defensive back Cortez Jones. 

To this day, the winningest coach in Steelers history still gets asked about that moment of his career. While he was fined $100,000 from the NFL and has previously addressed the situation on different occasions, he joined the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday and finally revealed how he ended up in the way of Jones and the end zone.

“In my mind I’m thinking, ‘he’s going up their sideline’ because the Jumbotron picture is backwards,” Tomlin said on the podcast. “I didn’t realize I was in danger man until I saw myself on the Jumbotron. I dodged Jacoby [Jones] because I saw myself. I never saw him.”

Tomlin also recognized that his move onto the field created a “better angle” for a tackle for his team, despite it being a mistake. These comments come after he told ESPN’s Jamison Hensley before a game in 2020 that he “lost track of where he was” and that it was “one of those unfortunate moments of life.”

When the incident initially happened, Tomlin took “full responsibility” for his actions while describing them as “embarrassing, inexcusable, illegal” and a “blunder.”

Tomlin’s comments on the issue in 2022 resonate with all of his previous comments—he was never intentionally trying to keep Jones from scoring a touchdown on the kickoff. However, Tomlin will never forget having to pay the hefty fine for his mistake.

“I paid $100,000 for that mistake. Hey, that was a big ticket,” Tomlin said. 

• All Steelers: Former Ravens DT, Fox Reporter Tony Siragusa Dies at Age 55 

For more Pittsburgh Steelers coverage, go to All Steelers.