The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long and storied history that has assisted in producing several rivalries. The most commonly talked about ones in 2023 are surrounding the AFC North division. Since 2002, Pittsburgh has had intense run-ins with the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Often talked about moments include Myles Garrett pummeling Mason Rudolph with his helmet, Ryan Clark's brutal hit on Willis McGahee and pretty much any game that involved Vontaze Burfict. The former NFL linebacker was known for being one of, if not, the dirtiest players in the league throughout his tenure.
In a crucial divisional matchup on Thursday Night Football, the Ravens and Bengals faced off in a game that saw Joe Burrow exit with a potentially serious wrist/nerve injury. That, arguably, wasn't the biggest news of the evening as the division-leading Ravens have most likely lost star tight end, Mark Andrews for the rest of the season after he suffered a gruesome ankle injury.
Bengals linebacker, Logan Wilson, was attempting to bring Andrews down when he used what is known as a "hip-drop" tackle to get him to the ground from behind. As a result, the tight end had his ankle rolled up on and was unable to return to the contest. Several offensive players and coaches have wanted this kind of tackle to be illegal because serious injuries have and will continue to occur if it isn't outlawed.
Many fans and media reacted on social media regarding the hit after Head Coach John Harbaugh was clearly displeased with what had transpired. This led to many individuals writing that Wilson is a dirty player and he is the 2023 version of Burfict in Cincinnati. Former Steelers linebacker, Vince Williams, made sure to shut down any of that talk on X (formerly known as Twitter).
While there is some humor that seemed to have been thrown in there, Williams seems to be completely serious. The final comments about the good times insinuate that he doesn't miss his teammates going up against a guy that was downright nasty on the gridiron.
Burfict was known for being an absolute bruiser on the field and, most notably, his hit on Antonio Brown during a playoff game in the 2015 season will live on forever. He had countless penalties called on him throughout his career and, overall, was a dirty player without many excuses for his clear headhunting. He has been out of the NFL since 2019 and the league has been safer to play in since his retirement.
Williams' tweet gives fans an idea of how terrifying it must have been to know that Burfict was on the other sideline. Part of his goal may have been to instill fear in offensive players, but he consistently took it too far. It was almost as if Burfict had a goal of injuring opposing players when he was on the field. It wasn't a good look for the game when he was always trying to take someone's head off.
The former hard-hitting Steelers defender in Williams also posted about player safety after he decided to rip into Burfict for his questionable play. Williams knows that it's an extremely important part of the game, but removing things like hip-drop tackles is going to slowly lead to a brand of football that is almost unrecognizable to the fans.
Defensive players will say the league is continuously removing ways for them to make plays and that it will eventually be flag football. Offensive-minded individuals want to protect their heads and extremities. The debate will certainly be one that is had in the 2024 offseason.
Steelers Do Not Miss The Days When Burfict Was In The AFC North
Everyone loves a good hit on a football field, but there probably is not a single soul in the AFC North division that misses seeing Burfict suit up for games. Bengals fans may defend him to this day and everyone is entitled to an opinion, but the reality is that the former linebacker was a dirty player and Williams bringing him up in defense of Wilson speaks volumes to just how nasty Burfict truly was.
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