Steelers-Bengals games have a tendency to get ugly, and former Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict was a big reason why. Burfict has delivered scores of controversial hits during his career, including a few to superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown. A dirty helmet-to-helmet hit during the 2016 playoffs earned Burfict a three-game suspension the following season. Brown suffered a concussion on the play.
In all, Burfict was fined or suspended as a member of the Bengals a total of 13 times over seven seasons, costing him a total of more than $4 million. Another vicious hit on Brown during the 2018 season resulted in a fine of $112,000.
The Bengals released Burfict on Monday – and he didn’t have to wait very long for a job offer. Burfict agreed to a one-year deal with the Oakland Raiders worth around $5 million on Tuesday, making him teammates with the Raiders’ new franchise wide receiver.
According to Burfict, he doesn’t have any issues with Brown – and even believes they could become best friends.
Via ESPN:
“We’re on the same team. It’s one goal. It’s all positive, man. He’s a great player…. I’m going to approach him just like I do all my other teammates…. There’s nothing negative here. We’re on the same team. We’re trying to win a championship here…. Honestly, we might be the closest friends on the team, you know what I mean? So, just got to go along with it, and I can’t wait to meet him.”
Brown tweeted on Tuesday night that he talked to Burfict ahead of “#BullySeason.”
