Pittsburgh absolutely ran over Cleveland, winning 27-6 on Sunday, but it was the extra point after a first-quarter touchdown that really got wild. Steelers guard Mason McCormick slammed Browns pass-rusher Jared Verse to the ground, sparking a whole new level of drama in this brutal AFC North rivalry.
The Slam Heard ‘Round the AFC North
After the Steelers hit the endzone in the first quarter, McCormick took things to another level. He literally lifted Verse up and threw him to the turf during the extra point attempt, earning an unnecessary roughness penalty. Verse, who had already been talking smack about Pittsburgh, wasn’t happy about how it went down. “I jumped in the air to try to block the kick,” Verse told reporters after the game. “He swept my legs in the air, ended up landing on my head. That’s football. I’m very upset about it. If this wasn’t football, I’d be acting a different way.” He added, “I love football, I love the aggression. I love how much goes into it, how much we put of our lives into football. But to do something like that, I can’t have respect for anything like that.”
Steelers Fire Back Hard
This wasn’t just a random act; it felt like a direct response to Verse’s previous comments. Steelers players were quick to pile on after the game. Safety Jaquan Brisker did not hold back. “He should have kept his mouth shut,” Brisker told reporters following the win. “All that talk, and then to come out with zero tackles, that’s bad. You didn’t stand behind your words and you didn’t stand on business. He’s gotta look at himself in the mirror and get better.” Running back Jaylen Warren kept it short and sweet when asked about Verse providing bulletin board material, saying simply, “some walk, some talk.”
Verse had previously called Pittsburgh “dirty” after a Week 4 matchup between the rivals. “They were talking crazy,” Verse said at the time, per USA Today’s Adam Bittner. “I was telling them, ‘Y’all double-teaming and sliding and you’re garbage.’ I don’t have respect for anybody that plays too dirty and does too much extra [stuff] after the game. I can’t wait to see them again. It’s going to be a great time when I see them again.” Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward had even reacted to Verse’s comments earlier in the week on The Rich Eisen Show. “Double teaming, sliding, chipping, are those not allowed in our game?” Heyward said, also via Bittner. “Yeah, I got the bruises to prove it. 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 AFC North is on fire and I’m glad I’m in the kitchen because I like it that way. But those are words that were said and they will be addressed.”
Performance Speaks Louder Than Words
The Steelers clearly took Heyward’s words to heart, putting together a dominant performance against the Browns, holding them to a season-low six points. Verse himself struggled to make an impact in the contest. The two-time Pro Bowler finished the game with just one tackle and one quarterback hit. Brisker’s “zero tackles” comment might have been a bit of hyperbole, but the point was clear: Pittsburgh felt Verse’s actions and words didn’t match his game-day performance.
The AFC North is always a brutal slugfest, and this game just poured gasoline on the fire. When these two meet again, you know it’s going to be absolutely ELECTRIC.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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