[ad_1]
Say this about Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster: he positive is aware of learn how to hearth up foes by jigs and digs alike.
Baker Mayfield trolled the Steelers star Sunday evening, bellowing, “The Browns is the Browns!” as he hurried to hitch his delirious teammates following Cleveland’s 48-37 AFC wild card win at Pittsburgh.
Within the leadup to the sport, Smith-Schuster was requested if this 12 months’s Browns have been any completely different than these in years previous after their AFC North rival had ended an 18-year playoff drought.
He stated he thought “they’re nonetheless the identical Browns groups I play yearly” and whereas that they had expertise, “the Browns is the Browns.”
Not anymore. The Browns snapped their 17-game dropping streak at Heinz Subject with their first highway playoff win since 1969.
“You understand, I don’t remorse what I stated,” Smith-Schuster allowed afterward. “I stated the Browns is the Browns. They got here out they usually performed a hell of a recreation. You understand, there’s been video games the place we really feel we lose them and at this time wasn’t our evening and hopefully the identical Browns will present up subsequent week … and exit and do the identical factor they did tonight and have a hell of a recreation.”
The sixth-seeded Browns (12-5) go to top-seeded Kansas Metropolis (14-2) Sunday and the Steelers face an earlier-than-expected reckoning after following their franchise-best 11-0 begin with 5 losses of their final six video games.
Final month, the Payments and Bengals took exception to Smith-Schuster’s behavior of dancing on different groups’ midfield logos earlier than video games and posting the movies on TikTok.
“That turns you up somewhat bit,” Buffalo security Jordan Energy stated after the Payments’ 26-15 win over Pittsburgh in Week 14. “Will get you a second itch to play with some additional hearth.”
Every week later, Smith-Schuster’s dance routine on the Bengals’ brand was recorded by teammate Chase Claypool. Then, Smith-Schuster caught simply three passes for 15 yards in a 27-17 loss at Cincinnati. He additionally coughed up the soccer on a booming hit from Bengals security Vonn Bell.
Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t like Smith-Schuster’s dancing, not as a result of it motivated opponents however as a result of it was a common signal of disrespect on the gridiron.
“For the betterment of myself and my teammates, I’m going to cease dancing on the logos,” Smith-Schuster declared after that loss to Cincinnati.
What he continued doing, nonetheless, was firing up his opponents.
And even a day after they have been eradicated from the playoffs, the Steelers have been nonetheless speaking smack in regards to the Browns: Claypool went reside on TikTok to say, “Unhealthy loss, however the Browns are gonna get clapped subsequent week, so it’s all good.”
There have been a number of different notable calls because the NFL continued its pandemic season by the primary spherical of the expanded playoffs, together with coaches Mike Tomlin of the Steelers and Mike Vrabel of the Titans making head-scratching choices to punt within the fourth quarter whereas attempting to finish comebacks.
An enormous resolution got here Monday evening in New England, the place the Patriots missed the postseason for the primary time since 2008.
Invoice Belichick introduced he wouldn’t settle for the Presidential Medal of Freedom within the wake of final week’s lethal siege on the U.S. Capitol, saying “remaining true to the individuals, group and nation I really like outweigh the advantages of any particular person award.”
President Donald Trump had introduced on Saturday, three days after the riots, that he could be awarding Belichick the nation’s highest civilian honor on Thursday — a part of a late flurry of displays that additionally included golfers Annika Sorenstam and Gary Participant.
Sorenstam and Participant accepted their awards in a personal ceremony the day after Trump supporters, exhorted by the president to go to the Capitol and “struggle like hell” in opposition to a “stolen” election, overran and occupied the U.S. Senate and Home of Representatives in an explosive confrontation that left U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick and 4 others useless.
“I used to be flattered … out of respect for what the dignity represents and admiration for prior recipients,” the coach stated in a press release, which was forwarded by the Patriots to the Related Press.
“Subsequently, the tragic occasions of final week occurred and the choice has been made to not transfer ahead with the award. Above all, I’m an American citizen with nice reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy. I do know I additionally characterize my household and the New England Patriots group.”
In 2016, Trump publicized a letter from Belichick wishing him properly within the election that 12 months.
Within the aftermath of George Floyd’s loss of life this summer season, Patriots gamers praised Belichick for offering an open discussion board for them to specific their emotions on race and social injustice in America. In his assertion on Monday, Belichick referred to as that “one of the rewarding issues in my skilled profession.”
Lastly, the New Orleans Saints spurred backlash on social media Sunday for deleting a tweet that confirmed quarterback Drew Brees in a ”#SayHerName” T-shirt. He and his teammates have worn the T-shirts all through the season in pushing for justice for Breonna Taylor, who was killed throughout a police raid in Kentucky final 12 months.
After the tweet brought on some to consider the message was in help of the lady who was killed whereas storming the U.S. Capitol final week, the Saints eliminated the publish. They changed it with a photograph of Malcom Jenkins sporting the identical T-shirt together with a proof of why gamers have been sporting them.
___
AP Sports activities Author Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed.
___
Comply with Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton
___
Extra AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Pittsburgh Steelers huge receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) celebrates after scoring on a 5-yard move from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger through the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff soccer recreation in opposition to the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photograph/Keith Srakocic)
FILE – On this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, file picture, New England Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick yells from the sideline through the second half of an NFL soccer recreation in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, Calif. President Donald Trump will current one of many nation’s highest civilian honors to Invoice Belichick, the soccer coach of the New England Patriots and the one coach to win six Tremendous Bowl titles. The presentation of the Presidential Medal of Freedom is anticipated Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (AP Photograph/Ashley Landis, File)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees makes a face whereas warming up earlier than an NFL wild-card playoff soccer recreation in opposition to the Chicago Bears in New Orleans, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. (AP Photograph/Brett Duke)
[ad_2]
Source link
