The Pittsburgh Steelers have total control of the AFC North entering their bye week in Week 9. They handily defeated the Cleveland Browns while also using this rest time to help get some extra scouting done on the Cincinnati Bengals, so they can cement their play atop the division in Week 10. Hopefully, the injuries will start to dwindle down since there is no practice or game this week, and the team can feel much more complete as the back half of the schedule is more daunting than what Pittsburgh just faced.
Jordan Perez / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers offensive lineman Mason McCormick (66) and Zach Frazier (54) protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) in a win against the Browns in November 2026.
Part of the domination in Week 8 came from Jared Verse fueling the fires with all kinds of trash-talk, and the Steelers shut him down all game long. The only notable thing he did was go viral for getting body slammed by Mason McCormick on a field goal attempt. Verse later called the play "dirty" and spoke about how he can't have any sort of respect for someone like him after that play.
There may be more to this play than what Verse truly understands. While making an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, defensive lineman Cameron Heyward explained what really happens on field goal plays like that.
"I've been on those field goal scrums and if a guy jumps, you have full ability to take advantage of that," Heyward said. "Mason has a wrestling background."
Heyward is often used as one of the linemen to protect the kicker, and he has had some reps on field goal blocks, especially early in his career when he was primarily used on special teams, so he understands both sides of the field goal play. He clearly sides with McCormick, since Verse was the one that went up high before becoming the victim of a brutal wrestling move.
Safe to say Mason McCormick heard Jared Verse trash talk this week pic.twitter.com/vPcCwUPlUh
— WeAreBigGuys (@WeAreBigGuys) November 1, 2026
There could be an argument that what McCormick did was a bit excessive, as he clearly slammed Verse on the ground hard. Maybe a push while he was in the air to get him off balance could have been more reasonable in the eyes of the officials. Either way, when you try to go high like that, you shouldn't expect the lineman in front of you to just allow it and not try and stop you from blocking a kick.
Barry Reeger / Imagn Images
Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse (8) walks off the field during the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.
Verse ending up on the ground was entirely his own fault. The fact that he was complaining after the game and spoke about how he had no respect for anyone who plays like McCormick shows his lack of awareness of the situation. Heyward wasn't even the only player to defend the lineman, as former Super Bowl champion Max Starks responded to a video of that viral clip on X.
“They Jump, you Dump….”🤷🏾♂️
— Max Starks IV (@maxstarks78) November 2, 2026
With that bit of game film out there, as well as the general knowledge that jumping like that has consequences, it is very likely that other teams and players think twice about whether they want to go high on McCormick. If these players are not careful, the Steelers' guard could turn them into the next meme across the NFL. It's going to be hard to forget what happened on the field goal in Week 8 already.
Steelers-Browns Play Has Some Added Context From Week 4
Earlier in the season, McCormick and Verse were talking trash to each other on the field in Cleveland. The Browns' edge rusher responded by taking a swipe at the Steelers' lineman, and there was no penalty called on that. The guard may not have been able to do a lot in that game, but he remembered, and he got his revenge with that body slam. If anyone has lost respect in NFL circles, it's Verse.
What do you think about Heyward defending McCormick's viral play? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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