Vontaze Burfict thinks Antonio Brown ‘faked it’ when he was concussed 2 years ago

In a playoff game nearly two years ago, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict lowered his head and collided with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown across the middle of the field. The hit drew a crucial penalty that helped sink the Bengals and earned an eventual three-game suspension for Burfict.

Brown missed the Steelers’ next playoff game after he was diagnosed with a concussion. The linebacker kept a low profile with the media after the hit, but reportedly apologized to Brown face-to-face during the 2016 offseason.

“[He was] just saying he didn’t have no intentions of trying to injure, that it was a football move,” Brown said of Burfict’s apology, via ESPN. “You know, it’s football. It’s not intentional. Play the game long enough, you may take a shot or two. It’s great to be able to bounce back and I’m excited to be in Cincinnati this weekend.”

Now, nearly two years later, Burfict let slip in a profile in ESPN Magazine that he thinks Brown was acting when he got hit:

“HE FAKED THAT,” Burfict says casually of the Brown hit before quickly trying to wave his own observation away. He knows instantly how the comment will be received, and it’s easy to see he wishes he hadn’t said it.

No matter how he meant the comment, it won’t do his image any favors. In less than 70 career games in the NFL, Burfict has already racked up well over $2 million in fines and forfeitures, and earned a reputation as a reckless and dangerous football player.

After saying that Brown faked the injury, Burfict tried to explain his thoughts.

Later, Burfict returns to his account of the Brown hit, reluctantly drawn into an explanation very few will agree with: “I feel like he looked at me. The ball tipped off his hands and he kind of put his head towards my area, and I tried to fade off of him at the last second, but he initially tried to make contact because he knew he could get the flag. And just the way he went down, it was just like -- I don’t know man.”

Let’s check the tape:

Burfict isn’t the first to accuse Brown of faking an injury on the play. Cornerback Adam Jones, who also drew a penalty in the ensuing chaos, went on The Dan Patrick Show to say the receiver deserved an award for his acting. He later apologized after Brown was ruled out from playing the next week.

The Steelers and Bengals have a contentious history in recent years, which included Burfict kicking a Pittsburgh player in the face earlier in 2017. The linebacker saying that Brown was faking it two years ago — no matter how he meant it — isn’t going to make things any better.