Browns Digest

Chiefs Will Receive No Meaningful Punishment for Coach Instigating Sideline Altercation

The NFL is not going to suspend either Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Harrison or Kansas City Chiefs coach Greg Lewis for an altercation that occurred on the sideline in the game. Harrison was ejected while Lewis was not disciplined.

Pete Smith

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, no suspensions are expected after an altercation between Kansas City Chiefs coach Greg Lewis and Cleveland Browns safety Ronnie Harrison.

For the second year in a row, the Chiefs get over on the Browns in a major officiating blunder. Last year in the divisional playoff, a textbook helmet to helmet hit from Dan Sorenson that caused Rashard Higgins to fumble the ball out of the back of the endzone was not called. The Browns lost the ball and the Chiefs drove down the field goal before the end of the half.

And just like last year, the NFL seems content to pretend nothing happened after the fact. Despite any number of angles that showed Sorenson's hit against Higgins, the NFL did not so much as fine Sorenson. A fine would have at least acknowledged the fact that a mistake was made. The NFL refused to do even that much.

It's the same situation here. Despite the fact that video clearly shows Lewis shove Harrison first, it would appear nothing is going to be done.

Even if the takeaway is that Harrison deliberately stepped on a Chiefs player in the moment, there is zero cause for an opposing coach to so much as touch a player, let alone shove him. Lewis shoves Harrison. Harrison returns fire, shoving Lewis. Harrison is ejected. Nothing happens to Lewis.

The Chiefs are, in effect, rewarded for incredibly poor behavior by their coach while the Browns are punished for it.

It's debatable that Harrison stepped on the player deliberately as he gets bumped by an offensive lineman. His foot is already going to the ground and it then ends up on the player. Regardless, even if Harrison had malicious intent, an opposing coach is never supposed to physically engage. Lewis does. And nothing is going to happen to him for it.

Even if the NFL comes to the conclusion that Harrison still should have been ejected, it's clear something should have been done to Lewis, whether in the moment or after the fact. The NFL is putting all the responsibility on players and none on coaches in this situation.

Whether or not Lewis is ultimately fined for the incident, the Chiefs benefited from the altercation and it's a bad look for that organization and the NFL as a whole.

READ MORE: Browns Give Away Opener in Kansas City, Literally

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Pete Smith
PETE SMITH

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