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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Sch
in General Discussion Thu Jul 11, 2019 7:59 amby panxing18 • Farseer | 334 Posts | 3340 Points
uster just wants to move on from last December's physical primetime meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals.But the second-year wideout thrust himself into one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL last season with a memorable block against Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. Smith-Schuster was reminded of the hit prior to Sunday's game at Cincinnati."I didn't want to talk about it Stefon Diggs Jersey ," Smith-Schuster said. "I knew you guys were going to want to talk about this and make something out of it, but I am just trying to get a "W'' this weekend, that's it."Last December, Smith-Schuster delivered a punishing blindside block on Burfict, the Steeler agitator, who ended running back Le'Veon Bell's season in 2015, and injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receiver Antonio Brown in the same playoff game at Cincinnati later that year.Smith-Schuster got a 15-yard penalty for the block and another penalty for taunting when he stood over Burfict after the hit. He also was given a one-game suspension.Burfict served a four-game suspension to open the current season. He returned to the lineup last week without incident and helped the first-place Bengals beat Miami.Smith-Schuster said he's not concerned about Burfict or the Bengals seeking revenge on Sunday."I'm just worried about the game, playing focused and playing with my teammates," Smith-Schuster said. "It's the AFC North and the rivalry is very strong. It's physical and it's going to be a tough game."Last December's game featured a combined 20 penalties for 239 yards, including a team-record 173 yards by the Bengals. It was also the game where Steelers LB Ryan Shazier sustained a life-altering spinal injury following a tackle."There were a lot of emotions on both sides of the ball, obviously with Shazier and what I did," Smith-Schuster said. "But it's just a physical game. That's what you're going to get out of it."Brown sustained a concussion and was knocked from the game by safety George Iloka - no longer with the Bengals -- following a touchdown reception. The score helped Pittsburgh overcome a 17-point deficit and win its sixth straight in the series on a last-second field goal."They're always trying to get the best of us, either physically, after the play or during plays," Brown said. "That's why they call it the jungle because you have to go in there and be ready to win."Brown met with the media for the first time Friday since two lawsuits were filed against him stemming from an incident at a Florida apartment complex last spring.Ophir Sternberg is seeking damages against Brown, claiming objects thrown by Brown from the 14th floor of an apartment building in April came close to striking Sternberg's father and 22-month-old son. A second lawsuit filed by the owner of the apartment building is seeking more than $15,000 in damages from Brown."I can't discuss pending litigation Harrison Smith Jersey ," Brown said. "I just look forward to my day in court."Brown told police that the incidents occurred after a gun and $80,000 were stolen from his apartment. Brown said in a statement a day earlier that the lawsuits contained "false claims" against him."It comes from being successful, it comes from being in the spotlight, it comes from having fame," Brown said on Friday. "If I was a nobody, (the media) wouldn't be here speculating to begin with."Brown said he's focused on the Bengals this week."I'm a professional and I know what I'm here for," Brown said. "I'm trying to win football games. It's Cincinnati week ... it's a big week for us. Being in this position comes with a lot of distractions and you have to be able to narrow your focus and that's what I'm able to do."NOTES: Steelers' S Morgan Burnett (groin) will miss his fourth straight game, while WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (ankle) will miss his second straight. LB L.J. Fort (ankle) is doubtful. LB Vince Williams fully practiced this week after missing against Atlanta with a hamstring injury. EAGAN, Minn. — Anthony Barr slept for a mere two hours on Monday night, awakened at 3 a.m. by the angst of his decision about which team to pick in free agency.More Vikings coverageDuty might call for Vikings rookie long snapper CuttingRookie minicamp Q&A with Vikings head coach Mike ZimmerVikings sign nine members of 2019 draft classTop Tweets: Minnesota teams have fun with ‘Game of Thrones’Vikings decline fifth-year option for WR Laquon TreadwellHis verbal commitment to join the New York Jets triggered immediate unease about leaving the Minnesota Vikings.“I was up all morning just looking at my ceiling, just looking for a sign, talking to everybody, just trying to figure something out,” Barr said.Fortunately for Barr and his conscience, the Vikings didn’t abandon their desire to retain the four-time Pro Bowl linebacker. They presented a contract offer that was more than sufficient to stay for, even if he’d be turning down a richer deal with the Jets. The league’s two-day negotiating window before contracts can be signed worked out rather well for him.Barr got a five-year deal valued at $67.5 million, with $33 million in guaranteed money. The Vikings held a news conference for him and new defensive tackle Shamar Stephen on Thursday afternoon.“This is where I wanted to be. This is my home. I’m embedded in the community. I do a lot of off-the-field work here. I love my teammates. I love this locker room. The culture we’ve developed over the last five years Adam Thielen Jersey , it’s been awesome. The bonds I’ve made with my friends, my teammates and my coaches are unbreakable, and it just felt right,” Barr said. “This is where my heart was.”Barr, who will turn 27 next week, was the first draft pick, ninth overall in 2014, the Vikings made under coach Mike Zimmer. Though the hard-nosed boss has occasionally prodded Barr to play with more relentlessness, Zimmer has become a big fan of the 6-foot-5, 255-pound player who has manned the strong side linebacker spot on one of the NFL’s best defenses over the last five seasons.“No team we ever play is going to say, ‘Oh, we’re not going to worry about Anthony Barr,'” Zimmer said.Zimmer played a part in the persuasion process. General manager Rick Spielman held onto some hope.“You might as well keep swinging until you’re knocked out,” Spielman said.Barr figured his first foray into free agency would be fun, but he wound up feeling the opposite.“Monday was one of the worst days of my life, really,” he said.As soon as he told his agent Kirk Cousins Jersey , Brian Murphy, he would take the offer from the Jets, Barr called his mother, Lori, and fessed up.“I’m like, ‘I think I made a mistake.’ And she was like, ‘Well, you’ve got to fix it,’ and I was like, ‘All right,'” Barr said.Murphy handled the business part, but Barr was left the bigger mess: his emotions.“I was crying, laughing, sweating. The whole day was just crazy,” he said.The enticement of the Jets wasn’t just more money. There was an allure too, Barr said, of being part of a rebuild.“All the respect to the Jets organization Marcus Sherels Jersey , their coaching staff, but it’s just not what I really wanted,” he said. “I think initially I kind of jumped the gun, even though it was like a full day worth of conversation. I think I was trying to convince myself of something.”Now Barr will be back with a coach he said he’d “go to war for” and an organization from the top down of people he can trust.“We do have a really good team,” Barr said. “Money’s great, but you can’t be miserable coming in to work every day.”The Vikings took one of the smallest amounts of salary cap space in the league into 2019, with about $5 million at the start of the week before the roster moves began. The Vikings sought a pay reduction from defensive end Everson Griffen, Spielman said, who agreed to a restructured deal that gave the team roughly $4 million in more room. Griffen, who has the same agent as Barr, could have been cut had he resisted the request.“It was down to the wire,” Spielman said.
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