Le’Veon Bell Thinks Vontaze Burfict’s ‘Gotta Go’ After Kicking A Steeler In The Head

The rivalry between the Bengals and Steelers, who are AFC North divisional foes, has become one of the more heated rivalries in all of the NFL in recent seasons. Both teams are perennially fighting for a playoff berth in the AFC, which breeds competitive games, but the physical styles of both teams also creates some extra contempt in their games.

No player has been at the center of more chippy play and incidents in the rivalry in recent years than Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. The Arizona State product has long toed the line between hard-nosed, physical football and downright dirty play.

Burfict has been fined nearly $1 million in his career, most recently including a three-game suspension for a preseason hit against the Chiefs. His intensity on the field, which makes him as good a linebacker as he is, often spills over to after plays are made and can lead him to dirty play. He was fined $25,000 once for twisting players’ ankles after tackles, and on Sunday, he appeared to kick a member of the Steelers in the head while laying on the ground.

Steelers star running back Le’Veon Bell, who has had his own issues with Burfict in the past after a Burfict tackle tore Bell’s MCL in the 2015 season, took to Twitter to voice his frustrations with the Bengals’ mercurial linebacker.

Bell says Burfict’s “gotta go,” noting that what he does here isn’t football, knowing that this is just another example in a long line of problematic play from Burfict. The NFL could fine Burfict for the kick, but it’s clear that Bell and the Steelers have seen enough of Vontaze on the field and would like for something a bit more robust than just a fine to come his way.