Jared Verse has criticised Mason McCormick after the Pittsburgh Steelers guard picked up the Cleveland Browns defensive end and slammed him headfirst into the ground during their 27-6 defeat.
Verse had exchanged verbal shots with the Steelers before the game, but McCormick's actions during an extra-point attempt left the Browns defender furious.
The incident happened after Rico Dowdle scored a nine-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Verse jumped to try to block the kick before McCormick lifted him into the air and threw him to the ground, earning a personal foul penalty.
Speaking after the game, Verse explained what happened and admitted he was frustrated by the incident.
"I jumped in the air, tried to block the kick, he swept my legs in the air, ended up landing on my head," Verse said. "That's football. I'm very upset about it and if this wasn't football I'd be acting a different way."
The Browns defender also questioned McCormick's approach, adding: "To do something like that, I just can't have respect for that."
However, Verse acknowledged that he should have been more aware of the situation before attempting to block the kick.
"That was just a lack of awareness on my part. I should've had a better grasp of the type of player I was going up against. That's on me," he said.
The incident came after Verse had criticised Pittsburgh's offensive line and insisted he was not worried about veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward or the Steelers' other players.
Heyward had previously responded to Verse's comments about Pittsburgh playing dirty, insisting that blocking tactics such as double-teaming and chipping were part of football.
McCormick, meanwhile, said he did not know who had jumped towards him during the play.
"I really had no idea who it was. I just felt somebody jump and we're told to get jumpers hands down. And that's really it," he explained.
The pair also have history, with Verse having swung at McCormick after a missed field goal during an earlier meeting between the teams.
Despite the penalty, Pittsburgh secured a 27-6 victory to take sole control of the AFC North standings.
Verse finished with one tackle and one quarterback hit, while the Browns were left with plenty to address after a difficult divisional defeat.
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