Browns' Jared Verse 'can't have respect' for Steelers after body-slam

PITTSBURGH — From talking smack to being body-slammed, Browns defensive end Jared Verse has had the complete professional wrestling experience with the Pittsburgh Steelers.Needless to say, Verse did not appreciate the move Steelers guard Mason McCormick executed against him in the first quarter of Cleveland's 27-6 loss on Sunday, Nov. 1, at Acrisure Stadium."I love football. I love the aggression," Verse said. "I love how much power goes into it, how much people put into their lives into football. But to do something like that, I just, I can't have respect for anything like that."NFL Week 8 column: The Browns isn’t the Browns this season, except in Pittsburgh | OpinionAfter Steelers running back Rico Dowdle rushed for a 9-yard touchdown with 7:57 left in the first quarter, McCormick body-slammed Verse when Verse jumped in attempt to block the ensuing extra-point kick. "I had jumped in the air to try to block the kick," Verse said. "He sweeped my legs in the air. Ended up landing on my head. That's football. I mean, I'm very upset about it. And, obviously, you know, if this wasn't football, I would have reacted a different way."Verse took some solace in McCormick receiving a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. A fine from the NFL is likely on the way, too.Either way, what made the scene especially interesting is Verse had produced two rounds of headline-worthy quotes about the Steelers.After the Browns beat the Steelers 27-24 on Oct. 1 in Cleveland, Verse called Pittsburgh's players “dirty” and said he couldn't wait to face them again. In recent days, Verse said the Browns were determined to “make Pittsburgh ours” in the rematch.NFL coverage: Browns faced Steelers for AFC North lead. What were our instant thoughts?On “The Rich Eisen Show,” Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said last week Verse’s comments would “be addressed.”A starting offensive lineman, McCormick didn't gloat about dumping Verse onto the ground, though."I really had no idea who it was," McCormick told Pittsburgh reporters after the Steelers crushed the Browns. "I just felt somebody jump, and we're told to get jumpers' hands down. That's really it."Verse used the words "uncalled for" to describe McCormick grabbing him in midair and dropping him. McCormick tilted his shoulders to throw down Verse. While Verse fell, he grabbed McCormick's helmet, popping it off."Like what I've said before about them, that's just the way that they are," Verse said of the Steelers. "That's the way that, him specifically, that's the way he plays, and that was just lack of awareness on my part. I should have had a better grasp of the type of player I was going up against. And that was just on me."To Verse's credit, he didn't try to walk back his previous statements about the Steelers or claim they were overblown by reporters. Some professional athletes blame the messengers when their words backfire."I stand by everything I say," Verse said. "And as a man, you have to naturally do that."Regardless, Verse finished with one tackle and a quarterback hit. And the Steelers had the last laugh."Some walk. Some talk," Steelers running back Jaylen Warren said.The Akron Beacon Journal can be emailed at bjsports@thebeaconjournal.com.This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns' Jared Verse 'can't have respect' for Steelers after body-slam