Steelers bracing for NFL punishment decision after Aaron Rodgers incident

Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are back for more fun in 2026. The team snagged their first win of the season on Sunday, beating the Atlanta Falcons 20-13.

It's a solid start for the Terrible Towel crew and one that should make Rodgers and Pittsburgh happy. But, what happened toward the end of the first half of the showdown was downright ugly, and it may not be over.

Steelers bracing for NFL punishment decision after Dylan Cook penalty

With 6:56 remaining in the second quarter, the Steelers had the ball at their own 16 and were ahead 13-7. From there, Rodgers took the snap on 2nd-and-8 and scrambled for eight yards. But, Atlanta defensive end Cameron Thomas was there to stop him.

That wasn't the messy part. That would have been a good play for the Steelers, but it was wiped clean when Steelers offensive tackle Dylan Cook was flagged for a facemask. So, Rodgers' impressive play was wiped out.

"Dylan Cook called for a facemask on 2nd down and the Steelers are now backed up to 2nd and 16 at their own 8," noted Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live.

Now, the Steelers are waiting to see if Cook gets additional punishment for that play. If he gets fined, the NFL's rules dictate that facemask penalties usually carry fines of up to $11,941.

This is just the first game of the season, and plenty of players will be getting hit with all kinds of fines for actions committed during games. The NFL announces punishments after the game for the week's previous matchups.

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