"I got hip-checked" - Bears LB Cassius Marsh unhappy with referee's call during Steelers tie

The Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers did battle on Monday Night Football as the Bears won by a narrow margin of 29-27. As with many NFL matchups, the game came down to a play or two that had a significant bearing on the scoreboard.

This time, it was more than just a simple play that arguably caused the Bears to lose in epic fashion. There was controversy.

Bears LB Cassius Marsh says he was "hip-checked" by a referee and flagged for it

During the fourth quarter of a heated game, a crucial penalty was called against the Bears which is now the subject of much controversy.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked for a seven-yard loss by Bears linebacker Cassius Marsh. Marsh proceeded to celebrate by doing a round-house kick and then gave a glaring look at the Steelers bench. When Marsh trotted back to the Bears bench to get ready for the Steelers punt, he accidentally made contact with referee Tony Corrente.

However, after a careful review of the contact, it appears that Corrente stuck out his hip to get in line with Marsh as he trotted back to the Bears sideline. Once Corrente stuck his hip out for the alleged "hip-check," he immediately flagged Marsh and the result was a fifteen-yard penalty. The Steelers had the ball as a result of Corrente's decision as they continued their drive and eventually kicked a field goal.

Here is what Marsh had to say about the contact from Corrente and the penalty:

"On my way to the sideline, I got hip-checked by the ref. It's pretty clear. If I was to do that to a ref or even touch a ref, we get kicked out of the game and possibly suspended and fined. I just think that that was incredibly inappropriate."

This season, the NFL has placed an emphasis on calling penalties for taunting. Some will argue that Marsh not only performed a round-house kick but then proceeded to walk towards the Steelers bench for an extended glare before beginning to retreat back to the Bears' sideline.

However, there are others that may argue that the flag was only thrown by Corrente after the contact and not immediately after the round-house kick or the extended glare to the Steelers' bench.

What did Tony Corrente say about his call?

Corrente received flak from fans and players on social media after the game. When asked about the controversial call, he said:

"First of all, keep in mind that taunting is a point of emphasis this year. And with that said, 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."

Corrente continued:

"I didn't judge the contact as anything that I dealt with. That had nothing to do with it. It was the taunting aspect."

Depending on who you ask, Corrente is either in the clear or is either possibly a candidate for a call from the league for an intentional "hip check."