Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict enjoyed a successful career with the team, earning accolades such as second-team All-Pro honors in 2013. However, his NFL legacy became overshadowed by various controversial incidents.
Despite his accomplishments with the Bengals, Burfict’s on-field actions against the Pittsburgh Steelers players tarnished his image. Recently, he made headlines once again by boldly expressing his disdain for the team during a streaming video.
Le’Veon Bell slams Vontaze Burfict
Vontaze Burfict has once again found himself in the spotlight for his controversial playing style. Admitting to playing dirty only against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he sparked a swift response from ex-Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell. The former Steelers RB took to social media to express his disdain.
“lol that’s 🧢 .. he played dirty against errrrryyyyybody”, Bell wrote.
lol that’s 🧢 .. he played dirty against errrrryyyyybody https://t.co/3Nbm6hemOk
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) February 4, 2024
The rivalry between Burfict and the Steelers is well-documented. He faced off against them 10 times in his career. The bitterness still lingers, especially considering the Bengals’ 0-5 record against the Steelers in their last five encounters. Five years after the last matchup, it seems Burfict is far from letting go of the grudge.
Burfict gained notoriety for his questionable plays during his time with the Bengals, especially against the Steelers. However, it was his brutal hit on the ex-Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in 2016 that left a lasting impact. Many attributed Brown’s subsequent erratic behavior to the incident. From taking digs at current NFL players to calling out popular analyst, the WR has embroiled himself in controversy several times.
Nevertheless, Burfict had issued an apology to Brown in the aftermath of the incident. The former Bengals linebacker’s history also features fines in 2018 for hits against Steelers running back James Conner. Another notable incident involving Burfict and the Steelers was a concussion-inducing hit by JuJu Smith-Schuster, intensifying the rivalry between the two teams. The aftermath of this hit resulted in Burfict facing league suspensions.
Vontaze Burfict expresses hate towards Steelers
During a moment while streaming Madden, Vontaze Burfict explicitly expressed his dislike for the Steelers. He highlighted how his aggressive play often targeted their players. This sentiment doesn’t come as a surprise, given the veteran’s history of controversial plays and clashes with the Steelers on the field.
“I didn’t hit people after the play all the time. Just the Steelers”, he boldly claimed.
WOW: #Bengals legendary linebacker Vontaze Burfict says he purposely “PLAYED DIRTY” only against the #Steelers because he “HATED” Pittsburgh.
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 2, 2024
“I didn’t hit people after the play all the time Just the #Steelers. F*CK THE STEELERS.” pic.twitter.com/oP8bgealjx
The rivalry between him and the team even extended beyond the field, with tensions flaring in training camp. Burfict once engaged in verbal sparring with Joey Porter Jr., a Steelers fan and son of former coach Joey Porter. Porter expressed his disdain for the ex-NFL player during an interview, prompting a fiery response from Burfict on Instagram.
“I’m happy your daddy got stories about me, but f— your daddy. And for y’all that still watch this rigged-ass NFL, what kind of question was that on national TV?”, Burfict retaliated.
The former Cincy star’s NFL career took a significant hit in 2019 when he received a 12-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit against Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle. Over the course of his career, he accumulated fines totaling more than $5.3 million for 14 separate incidents.
