PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 1: Linebacker Vontaze Burfict #55 of the Cincinnati Bengals tackles running back Le'Veon Bell #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during a game at Heinz Field on November 1, 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Bengals defeated the Steelers 16-10. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell suffered a season-ending knee injury on this tackle by Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. George Gojkovich George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict isn't sweating the vitriol coming his way from Pittsburgh after his tackle ended the season of Steelers star running back Le'Veon Bell.
Several Steelers players were not happy with Burfict's reaction after Bell landed awkwardly on the play, claiming that Burfict was pumped up after his tackle while Bell remained on the ground in pain.
Steelers linebacker Vince Williams took it a step further Monday with a tweet that has since been deleted, threatening physical violence if he ever runs into Burfict on the street. Williams later apologized, but not before Burfict tweeted a response.
As for the hit itself, Burfict says he had no intentions of injuring Bell, and ran away quickly from his tackle because he heard a pop.
"It was a clean hit," Burfict told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Le'Veon is a friend of mine. I didn't intentionally mean to hurt him. It's football. He's going to come back strong."
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