Steelers offensive lineman had a rough outing Sunday against the Buccaneers. He committed three penalties and allowed a sack that got rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett concussed.
Dotson tweeted Sunday night about death threats he received on social media. He told reporters Monday 10-12 people threatened him, and he reported them to Twitter but has not involved law enforcement.
“At the end of the day, they’ve never done what I’ve done,” Dotson said of his critics on social media, via Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “They’ll never be able to do it. I try not to come at them as fans because I’ve been a fan my whole life. But I’ve never felt like I had the right to tell someone they should die. That’s just wild.
“Then people come behind them and say, ‘It was bad they gave you death threats, but we’re fans and we should be able to say what we want.’ You can feel what you want to feel, but to say you can give someone a death threat is just wild.”
Officials cited Dotson for two holding penalties and a false start. Bucs linebacker Devin White got to Pickett despite Dotson’s second hold, and the back of Pickett’s helmet hit the ground. Pickett did not return and remains in concussion protocol.
“I gave up a sack,” Dotson said. “I don’t know why everyone is going crazy. Maybe because it was Kenny Pickett. I gave up a sack. I won’t deny it. Something happened afterward. I told him sorry. He forgave me. I don’t care what everyone else thinks.”
Dotson has six penalties in six games, second most in the league behind Patriots offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn’s seven. But what should be obvious is not to everyone: Nothing ever warrants a death threat.
“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Dotson said of his penalties and allowed sack. “I didn’t try to do it. I messed up. I had a bad day with penalties, but overall I had a good game. If you only see the negative, what’s the point of me caring what you think?”