The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been known for their historic rivalries with multiple NFL teams, but no rivalries run deeper than their AFC North partners. Recently, the Cincinnati Bengals have been a thorn in the Steelers side, in both postseason competition and problems off the field. Most notably, the Bengals and their former linebacker Vontaze Burfict are despised by both Steelers players and fans for a nasty hit he made on Antonio Brown in a 2016 Wild Card game.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Antonio Brown (#84) points towards the sideline during a regular season matchup. | Photo Credit: Associated Press / Don Wright
The problems with Burfict don't end there, however. In an act of revenge, former Steelers wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster crushed Burfict with a blindside block in a 2017 regular season game. Most recently, former running back Le'Veon Bell called out Burfict and challenged him to a boxing match. Burfict never responded and the situation faded. These two teams continue to hit each other hard and it seems like this rivalry will be one that will never die out.
Steelers' Porter Jr. And His Involvement
Rookie cornerback, Joey Porter Jr recently answered questions in an NFL Network interview about both his football ability and his family's history with the Steelers. When asked what he first thought of growing up as a Steelers fan, he admitted Burfict was the first thing to come to mind.
"That's a tough one. I gotta go Vontaze Burfict. That rivalry, at that time, was crazy. [The Steelers] did not like that guy at all."
Burfict did not take kindly to Porter's words and was outraged he was mentioned. After the hit on Brown in 2016, Burfict got into a bit of a scuffle with Joey Porter Sr. (Porter's dad) who was on the Steelers coaching staff at the time. Porter ran onto the field when Brown was hit to get in the middle of the action and defend his players, and Bengals surrounded him to triy and get him off the field, with Burfict assisting in that action. Not only do the Steelers have a history with Burfict, but the Porter family does as well.
David J. Phillip Associated Press
Joey Porter celebrates a victory in Super Bowl XL with his two sons.
Burfict's Response
Burfict just so happened to catch wind about the interview Porter Jr. was involved in and took to Instagram stories to further inflate the problem. Burfict went on a tirade, saying he hates Porter Sr. and even brought up conspiracies that the entire NFL is rigged and that the question Porter Jr. answered was irrelevant and unnecessary.
"I'm happy your daddy got stories about me, but f**k your daddy," Burfict raged. "And for y'all that still watch this rigged a*s NFL, what kind of question was that?"
Burfict can't seem to stay out of trouble, even when he hasn't played in the NFL since 2019. Burfict has a reputation as a dirty player, and not just from the hit on Brown. Burfict has been suspended a total of five times by the NFL, with his most hefty consequence being a near-full season suspension. He also was fined millions of dollars for his various hits and improper behavior.
Not all of his suspensions come from illegal player-to-player hits, either. He was ejected from a game in 2017 due to making contact with an official in disagreement over a hit he was penalized for. However, the majority of his punishments come from dirty hits he made on other players, some even occurring in the preseason. Burfict has effectively tarnished his reputation as a football player and it looks like he will never see an NFL field again.
Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, Vontaze Burfict. | Photo Credit: Aaron Doster / USA TODAY Sports
Steelers' Porter Yet to Respond
Porter Jr. or Sr. have not responded to Burfict's social media outcries, and it seems unlikely that they will. For many years, different Steelers players have had ongoing conflicts with Burfict, and it doesn't seem that the Porters wants to be re-added to that list. Burfict has been a problem for every NFL team that he's been on, constantly being penalized, suspended, or fined. Porter Jr. is a rookie with a very promising upside, and the last thing he would want to do is continue in a fight in his first year. Porter is a hard worker with great ethics and getting into years-long beef isn't worth his time or attention.
What do you think of this new situation with Burfict? Will we see any retaliation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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