Fitzpatrick upset with flag: 'I thought we were playing football'

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick wasn't happy after he was penalized for unnecessary roughness in Sunday's 27-24 loss.

Fitzpatrick hit Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Adonai Mitchell on a deep pass in the third quarter.

"I thought we were playing football," Fitzpatrick said postgame, according to ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "I don't know what we're playing at this point. Very different game than what I grew up playing and what I grew up loving. Can't hit nobody hard, can't be violent. So I don't know. I don't know what to say anymore."

Fitzpatrick said officials told him that he hit Mitchell in the head and that the receiver was defenseless. The Steelers safety disagrees.

"I don't understand how he's defenseless," Fitzpatrick said. "If he's going for the ball, I'm going to make a play on him or the ball. Just because he puts his arms down at the last second, shouldn't be a penalty. Didn't hit him in the head either. But like I said, you hit people hard, and they throwing flags now."

Teammate DeShon Elliott came to his defense, calling the penalty "bullshit." James Harrison, who spent the majority of his playing career with the Steelers, agreed with Elliott.

Indianapolis ended up scoring a touchdown on the drive. The Steelers' defense struggled to contain the Colts' offense, which was led by backup quarterback Joe Flacco for a large part of the game. Pittsburgh allowed 358 yards and failed to register a takeaway in the defeat.