The rivalry between the Steelers and Bengals may not be as bloodthirsty as it was five or six years ago. But you’d never know that by listening to former Bengal Adam “PacMan” Jones.
The former Cincinnati defensive back has made no bones about continuing his disdain for the Steelers into his post-Bengals career.
That was perhaps best exemplified when Jones burned a box of Steelers jerseys in his driveway last year.
This week, Jones brought his ax to grind as he joined the “Club Shay Shay” podcast with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe.
During the interview, Sharpe was claiming that Jones’ notorious ex-teammate Vontaze Burfict should have tried to avoid some of the dirty hits that got him $4.12 million worth of fines, suspensions and lost pay during his time in Cincinnati.
Jones launched into an impassioned defense of Burfict, blame-shifting the linebacker’s reputation onto the Steelers.
“Most of the games that Vontaze got in trouble was, what games? What team (were) we playing?” Jones asked.
“The Steelers,” Sharpe said.
“And those (expletive deleted) were the dirtiest team in the league,” Jones replied. “They had (Maurkice) Pouncey. They had — what was that other center’s name? (Richie) Incognito?”
Jones then went on to cite Burfict’s infamous headshot on Antonio Brown in the 2015 playoffs. That flag along with Jones’ subsequent
“That man, A.B., winked at us. Y’all crazy,” Jones said. “A.B. winked at us. Swear to God. God strike me down.”
OK, Pac. A few things.
• I doubt Brown winked at you. My guess is what you witnessed was involuntary muscle twitching as his eyes were rolling into the back of his head after Burfict knocked him out.
• Incognito was a guard the last 11 years of his career. He last played center in 2007.
• Incognito was never a Steeler.
Who are you thinking of, Adam? David DeCastro? Cody Wallace?
Should we be surprised? Does anyone remember Jones’ legendary “Jerry (uh, he meant Joey) Porter” f-bomb filled rant after that 2015 game?
Eh, close enough. Never let facts get in the way of a good story. Just like your recent declaration that if Devin Hester gets enshrined in the Hall of Fame as a return specialist, then you should get in, too.
Without a single kick return touchdown in your career.
This latest diatribe is so on-brand for Jones and the Bengals of those years. Always underachieving. Always emotionally out of control. Always getting in their own way.
But, man, was it funny. Thanks for the laughs, PacMan.
That victory for the Steelers was pyrrhic at best. It resulted in them being so banged up they couldn’t get over the hump the next week in Denver during a game they probably deserved to win more than they did the one at Paul Brown Stadium.
Although, the fact that it still makes Jones this mad makes everything worth it.
