New Raiders Antonio Brown and Vontaze Burfict each have a history, as is the case with any free agent. The two know each other well from their days in the AFC North, taking part in one of the division’s most heated rivalries — Brown with the Steelers and Burfict with the Bengals.
And in that particular grudge match, they were anything but bit players. Burfict was suspended for the first three games of the 2016 campaign in large part because of an unnecessary roughness penalty for hitting Brown in the head as he went over the middle during a playoff game.
But Brown says all is good. He tweeted on Tuesday that the two talked, and they’re ready to punish the rest of the NFL, not each other.
Once Burfict was signed by the Raiders, there was immediate speculation whether Brown would object. Oakland likely let Brown know the move was coming. He’s coach Jon Gruden’s prized free agent signing. The Raiders are in dire need of help at linebacker though. Even Brown must know that. He was smart to not only talk to Burfict in private but let the public know that his beef with his former foe has been squashed.
