PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s a player who is in his first year in the Steelers-Browns rivalry that has caused the most commotion. What the Steelers were saying to Jared Verse’s comments and trash talking overall before Sunday’s game at Acrisure Stadium.
Verse called the Steelers dirty on the offensive line after the October 1 matchup in Cleveland for how they double-team, slide and chip.
“I can’t wait until we see them again,” Verse said. “I’m going to put that one on the calendar. I can’t wait to get my hands on them again.”
Steelers veteran Cam Heyward responded on The Rich Eisen Show saying he’s got to bruises to prove what Verse is saying is actually legal, but the difference is they don’t whine about it. Then the 37-year-old said it’s going to be a fun game.
“You don’t really react, you just show up on Sunday and make sure his words match what he’s saying,” said Steelers running back Rico Dowdle, who will play in his first ever AFC North game as he’s recently returning from injury. “We know what he said. It’s a rivalry game. Looking forward to getting out there and taking on the challenge.”
“It’s definitely special, definitely a rivalry game, I definitely heard what they said on the other side, so it’s one of those games, definitely,” said Gateway HS grad and Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker.
“It’s Pittsburgh versus Cleveland, bro,” said safety DeShon Elliott. “They got to come to us now. You know how it is. I know how it is.”
Some players say they don’t pay attention to the talk, or at least don’t want to add their words to the discussion.
“I didn’t even see what they said,” Steelers corner Asante Samuel, Junior said. “The game is Sunday, there ain’t going to be no talking on Sunday.”
“I don’t hear any of that stuff,” said Steelers TJ Watt, adding the history of this game, and it being a division game, is enough motivation.
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy even offered platitudes.
“Cleveland is — if you grew up here (Greenfield), you'd think — I was shocked the first time I went to Cleveland because it looked like nothing I was told it looked like,” McCarthy said Monday. “They have nice suburbs. They've got a good downtown. But the impression of what you think of the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland as a kid is different.”
McCarthy was raised in the heat of the Steelers-Browns rivalry with Hall of Fame players on both sides.
“Yeah, I enjoy it,” McCarthy said. “I remember the great rivalries in the old days, the Kardiac Kids, and the history of it too. That's cool.”
Rico Dowdle coming with run game
But then he’s quick to return to it to a battle of 5-2 teams Sunday afternoon.
“This is a new era and they've got a new coach, we have a new coach,” McCarthy said. “So, we had our first game together up here in Cleveland. It was a tough battle. So, I'm looking forward to getting it on again.”
“I expect it to feel like a playoff game,” said Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer who believes trash talk is just what competitors do. “Obviously, it’s a divisional rival, Steelers and Browns always go back and forth for as long as I can remember growing up in Ohio and watching the games. I’m looking forward to a good atmosphere and a good physical fight.”
What happened in 1st Steelers-Browns game
“You hear it, but it’s time to play,” Brisker said. “We are going to see what they have on the field.”
It’s nice to have Steelers-Browns back.
Locker room reacts to Jared Verse’s comments ahead of 2nd rivalry matchup
Locker room reacts to Jared Verse’s comments ahead of 2nd rivalry matchup
