Bears' Marsh: Referee hip-checked me before taunting call

Chicago Bears edge rusher Cassius Marsh accused referee Tony Corrente of hip-checking him before throwing a controversial taunting flag on Monday Night Football.

"On my way to the sideline, I got hip-checked by the ref and it's pretty clear," Marsh told reporters postgame. "If I were to do that to a ref or even touch the ref, you know, we'd get kicked out of the game, possibly suspended and fined. So, I just think that that was incredibly inappropriate."

Marsh made contact with Corrente while running off the field after recording a pivotal third-down sack with under four minutes remaining versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Corrente appeared to be reaching into his uniform for the flag when they bumped into one another.

Seconds later, Corrente announced a 15-yard penalty on Marsh for taunting, giving Pittsburgh a fresh set of downs that led to a field goal. The Steelers wound up winning 29-27 by following up a Bears go-ahead touchdown with another field-goal drive.

"I think it's pretty clear to everyone who saw it that it wasn't taunting," Marsh said. "I've been doing the (spinning kick) celebration my whole career and it's just sad to see stuff like that happen in a close game like that. It's just rough, man."

Corrente said the penalty against Marsh was unrelated to the bump, his celebration, or anything he said on the field.

"First of all, keep in mind that taunting is a point of emphasis this year," he told a pool reporter, per Adam Hoge of NBC Sports Chicago. "And with that in mind, I saw the player, after he made a big play, run toward the bench area of the Pittsburgh Steelers and posture in such a way that I felt he was taunting them."

Marsh, an eight-year pro, was making his Bears debut after being elevated from the practice squad.