Chase Claypool: 'I've got to be better' after celebration, penalty cost Steelers in loss to Vikings

MINNEAPOLIS – Needing a yard on fourth down to extend a frantic last-minute drive, Chase Claypool got 9 to keep momentum going in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ favor Thursday night.

Instinctively, Claypool dropped to one knee and pointed the ball in the direction of the Minnesota Vikings end zone to signify the new set of downs.

The only problem was, the Steelers were out of timeouts, the clock was running with less than 45 seconds remaining, and the offense was still 34 yards away from the end zone. The Steelers never did get there, with time running out on a 36-28 loss to the Vikings when a pass into the end zone was knocked from tight end Pat Freiermuth’s grasp as the clock hit zeroes.

Claypool’s reaction to the first down was one of several lowlights for the second-year wide receiver who was benched briefly in the first half after a personal foul penalty on the opening drive cost the Steelers 15 yards.

“Definitely, I’ve got to be better,” Claypool said.

When Claypool got up after being tackled at the Minnesota 34, there were 37 seconds left on the running clock. After Claypool’s pose, he bumped into guard Trai Turner, who was trying to get the wide receiver back to the line of scrimmage. A Vikings player was sandwiched between the two Steelers players when the ball came loose, prompting Freiermuth to retrieve it and hand it the official, who spotted it with 26 seconds to play. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spiked the ball with 24 seconds left.

Claypool maintained that the loose ball and not his pose was the costly delay.

“I got tackled near the hash, did my little first down point, went to hand the ball to the ref,” Claypool said. “He just got there. Even if I got right up and looked for him, he wasn’t there. He ran down the field to come get the ball. The ball got knocked out of my hands. That is what cost us time. But I definitely do have to be better. I knew the situation.”

The Steelers got off four more plays before time ran out.

Claypool caught 8 of 9 targets for 93 yards. He caught a 38-yard pass on the second play of the final drive to position the Steelers at their 48. He also had a 13-yard reception before his 9-yard gain on fourth down.

Claypool also was penalized for the eighth time this season — tops among NFL wide receivers — in the first quarter when he was called for unnecessary roughness. The penalty came after a 6-yard completion on first down from the Minnesota 45. Claypool was tackled by cornerback Bashaud Breeland, and words were exchanged.

Claypool shoved Breeland in the facemask, earning the 15-yard penalty. The drive ended with Chris Boswell missing a 49-yard field goal.

“I got hit in the face coming up,” Claypool said. “Regardless, it doesn’t matter.”

It did to coach Mike Tomlin, who benched Claypool for several plays.

Tomlin admitted to benching Claypool, but he didn’t have an answer for whether the young wide receiver will learn from his mistakes.

“We’ll see,” Tomlin said.

Roethlisberger said he didn’t see the need to talk to Claypool about his antics.

“That’s not really my job,” he said. “To me, that goes up to coach Tomlin. That’s his job as head coach.”