Cincinnati Bengals v Pittsburgh Steelers
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 28: A.J. Green #18 of the Cincinnati Bengals is hit and injured on the play by Mike Mitchell #23 of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on December 28, 2014 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Home » Blog » Mike Mitchell Sounds Warning Ahead of Clash with Bengals

Mike Mitchell Sounds Warning Ahead of Clash with Bengals

Jonathon Natsis News NFL

With the Baltimore Ravens decimated by injury and the Cleveland Browns their usual, hapless selves, the biggest rivalry in the AFC North has shifted to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals.

The two playoff hopefuls wrap up their regular season series this Sunday, and hard-hitting Steelers safety Mike Mitchell had some choice words for the division leaders prior to taking the field.

“We won’t be the ones bleeding,” Mitchell declared in response to Bengals’ wide receiver Marvin Jones telling reporters that he expected to game to be “bloody on both sides.”

One of the Pittsburgh defense’s most emotional leaders, Mitchell has rapidly turned himself into public enemy number one in Cincinnati this year. During their first meeting in Pittsburgh – a 16-10 slugfest won by the Bengals – Mitchell squared up Jones with a big midsection hit that forced an incomplete pass, and an incapacitated Jones.

Mitchell then reportedly turned to Cincy’s A.J. Green, telling the star wideout “you’re next.” Days later, Jones declared Mitchell was “fake tough” because “you don’t see him hitting anybody when they’re going head up.”

This entire exchange, by the way, happened not long after Le’Veon Bell sustained a season-ending knee injury on a Vontaze Burfict tackle, after which the linebacker appeared to leap up and celebrate while his victim lay writhing in pain.

In short, it’s not hard to see where all of this bad blood is coming from. Jones displayed stupidity by calling out Mitchell’s toughness for not asking him politely if he could make the tackle, and Mitchell was stupid for making his headhunting intentions clear to Green at a point in the game when cooler heads were needed.

Regardless, fans of both teams will be hoping for a hard fought yet fair and clean game this week, with the playoffs looming ever closer. The Bengals should still control their own destiny for a first-round bye even with a loss, while the Steelers may spend another week on the outside of the AFC playoff picture even with a win.

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