Cameron Heyward vows that Browns' Jared Verse calling Steelers 'dirty' will be 'addressed' during Week 8 game

Shortly after the Cleveland Browns earned a gritty 27-24 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 1, Browns pass-rusher Jared Verse said that he had "no respect for anyone who plays dirty and does extra stuff after the game." 

"They were talking crazy," Verse said about the Steelers at that time. "I was telling them, 'You’re double-teaming, y’all sliding, y’all garbage.' ...It’s going to be a good time when I see them again." 

Verse will see the 5-2 Steelers again when 5-2 Cleveland plays at Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium for a matchup that will determine which club ends Nov. 1 sitting atop the AFC North standings. During a Tuesday appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," longtime Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward responded to Verse's comments. 

Cameron Howard to Jared Verse: "Don’t whine about it, baby"

"Double-teaming, sliding, chipping, are those not allowed in our game? Yeah, I got the bruises to prove it," Heyward said, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "But we don’t whine about it, baby. It’s part of the game. And so, I’m looking forward to this game. It’s gonna be a fun game. Both teams are in position to do a lot of work in this division, as they say."

The winner of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award for the 2024 season, Verse joined the Browns this past June via the trade that involved Myles Garrett joining the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, Heyward has played only for the Steelers since they drafted him in 2011, so he's quite familiar with the rivalry involving Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

Cameron Howard to Jared Verse, Browns: "Bring it on"

"The AFC North is on fire, and I’m glad I’m in the kitchen because I like it that way," Heyward continued. "But those are words that were said, and they will be addressed." 

The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-2, while the Baltimore Ravens are 4-3. Thus, it's hardly a lock that either Pittsburgh or Cleveland will be atop the AFC North standings come January. 

For now, Heyward is focusing on the task at hand. 

"I have a lot of respect there for those guys," Heyward added about the Browns. "But man, I’m looking forward to this game. These are the types of games you want. It’s a five-star matchup because we’re in it, as [former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin] would say. So bring it on."