Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin met with commissioner Roger Goodell and other NFL officials Thursday at the league’s headquarters in New York to discuss recent statements and actions regarding player safety, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

The Steelers, through a spokesman, confirmed Tomlin, along with team owner Art Rooney, being in New York for a meeting at the league’s headquarters. Sources said Tomlin was there to discuss rules geared at player safety, given the recent comments and actions of players, such as Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark, who have been repeat offenders in receiving unnecessary roughness penalties for illegal hits.

“Mr. Rooney and Commissioner Goodell thought it would be a good idea to meet with our football staff and coach Tomlin to review on-field issues that have been the focus of discussion recently,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in a statement.

Clark said recently that his hit on Baltimore Ravens tight end Ed Dickson, which resulted in a $40,000 fine, was used by the team in meetings as an example of a legal tackle.

These meetings with the NFL are not uncommon — Lions officials were there just a few weeks ago. Given the remarks by Steelers players about not agreeing with and/or understanding recent fines, and with the Steelers on a bye, this was an opportunity to review film and specific incidents with the NFL’s football operations department.

Other NFL officials in attendance included vice president of officiating Carl Johnson, assistant director of operations Merton Hanks and competition committee co-chair Jeff Fisher.

Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @JasonLaCanfora

Posted: 2:03 pm EDT October 13, 2011Updated: 2:26 pm EDT October 13, 2011

Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison apologized Thursday for
using an anti-gay slur to refer to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
in an interview with “Men’s Journal,” and says his critical
statements about teammates were taken out of context.

Harrison posted a statement on his Twitter account, with the
message: “This statement will be my only response to the Men’s
Journal article.”

In the article, the Steelers’ star criticized Pittsburgh
quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Rashard Mendenhall
for their play in last season’s Super Bowl loss to Green Bay.

Harrison called Mendenhall a “fumble machine” for his
fourth-quarter turnover and said Roethlisberger needed to “stop
trying to act like Peyton Manning.”

“I did make comments about my teammates when I was talking about
the emotional Super Bowl loss, but the handful of words that were
used and heavily publicized yesterday were pulled out of a long
conversation and the context was lost,” Harrison said in his
statement. Obviously, I would never say that it was all Ben’s or
Rashard’s fault that we lost the Super Bowl. That would be
ridiculous. Both Ben and Rashard are great players and great
teammates.”

Harrison’s harshest words in the article were aimed at Goodell,
whom he called a “crook” and a “devil.” He also said in the article
of Goodell, “I hate him and will never respect him.”

Harrison did not mention those insults, but did say the anti-gay
slur directed at the commissioner “was not intended to be
derogatory against gay people in any way. It was careless use of a
slang word and I apologize to all who were offended by the remark.
I am not a homophobic bigot, and I would never advocate intolerance
of gay people.”

Harrison was one of the most vocal critics of the NFL’s
crackdown last season on illegal hits. He was also heavily fined by
the commissioner for delivering illegal shots. The 2008 AP
Defensive Player of the Year was docked $100,000 for illegal hits
last season.

In his statement Thursday night, Harrison again said that more
penalties and fines for illegal hits will not make the game
safer.

“I believe that the league may have been feeling increasing
pressure about injuries and concussions last year, and that they
panicked and put rules in place that weren’t fully thought
out.”

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

— Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison apologized Thursday for using an anti-gay slur to refer to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in an interview with “Men’s Journal,” and says his critical statements about teammates were taken out of context.

Harrison posted a statement on his Twitter account, with the message: “This statement will be my only response to the Men’s Journal article.”

In the article, the Steelers’ star criticized Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Rashard Mendenhall for their play in last season’s Super Bowl loss to Green Bay.

Harrison called Mendenhall a “fumble machine” for his fourth-quarter turnover and said Roethlisberger needed to “stop trying to act like Peyton Manning.”

“I did make comments about my teammates when I was talking about the emotional Super Bowl loss, but the handful of words that were used and heavily publicized yesterday were pulled out of a long conversation and the context was lost,” Harrison said in his statement. Obviously, I would never say that it was all Ben’s or Rashard’s fault that we lost the Super Bowl. That would be ridiculous. Both Ben and Rashard are great players and great teammates.”

Harrison’s harshest words in the article were aimed at Goodell, whom he called a “crook” and a “devil.” He also said in the article of Goodell, “I hate him and will never respect him.”

Harrison did not mention those insults, but did say the anti-gay slur directed at the commissioner “was not intended to be derogatory against gay people in any way. It was careless use of a slang word and I apologize to all who were offended by the remark. I am not a homophobic bigot, and I would never advocate intolerance of gay people.”

Harrison was one of the most vocal critics of the NFL’s crackdown last season on illegal hits. He was also heavily fined by the commissioner for delivering illegal shots. The 2008 AP Defensive Player of the Year was docked $100,000 for illegal hits last season.

In his statement Thursday night, Harrison again said that more penalties and fines for illegal hits will not make the game safer.

“I believe that the league may have been feeling increasing pressure about injuries and concussions last year, and that they panicked and put rules in place that weren’t fully thought out.”