Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict was his typical dirty self Sunday in his team’s road loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the referees seemed to turn a blind eye to him.
After a run by Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell in the first quarter of Sunday’s game, Burfict proceeded to kick Pittsburgh fullback Roosevelt Nix in his helmet as the linebacker was laying on the ground. It happened right in front of a referee yet no penalty was called.
After the game, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that he didn’t see Burfict kick Nix. Bell, however, made sure to tell the media during his post-game press conference that Burfict was the guilty as charged.
“My fullback got kicked in the face,” Bell said
Bell was later asked if he had to talk to Nix after that happened.
“No, we got back in the huddle, we played football,” Bell said. “But obviously, Rosie was upset about it and I had to keep him calm on the sideline and that’s why Rosie was playing the way he was in between the whistles. Every time he had an opportunity to go ISO with 55 [Burfict], he did what he did. He had a great game and that’s why he’s the best fullback in the world.”
Burfict missed the first three games of the 2017 regular season due to a suspension he was issued following an illegal hit during the preseason. That suspension was initially five games but was shorted by two via an appeal by Burfict. The Bengals linebacker had already been suspended for previous dirty play as well.
It will now be interesting to see if the NFL looks at this latest kick by Burfict and issues him another fine and suspension.
