Steelers C Maurkice Pouncey warns against too much praise

Like it or not, the Cleveland Browns are the darlings of the AFC North this season and the Pittsburgh Steelers seem relegated to the role of underdogs. But Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey is not only ok with it, he warns against getting too caught up in it, per NFL reporter Aditi Kinkhabwala.

C Maurkice Pouncey says he's perfectly happy w/ the #Browns generating hype, while his #Steelers don't: "Sometimes, when you get too much praise, you think you're better than you are. Everyone kept saying we're going to the Super Bowl…maybe you don't work as hard as you should"

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) June 12, 2019

Pittsburgh missed the playoffs in 2018 after coming into the season as a favorite in the AFC. A series of horrible endings gave Pittsburgh a 9-6-1 record and on the outside looking in when the playoffs started.

Meanwhile the Browns, after a decade of struggles seemed to turn things around late in 2018 behind new quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Browns finished 7-8 and a 5-2 run to finish the season. There’s no doubt the AFC North will be more competitive this season but if history means anything it is still the Steelers and then everyone else until proven otherwise.

How do you feel about the Steelers being considered the underdog in AFC North?