When the Steelers beat the Bengals on a late field goal last weekend, I was disgusted. I was not disgusted because of the Bengals' loss. I was not upset at the flag thrown against Vontaze Burfict for the unnecessary roughness call against him because of his hit on Antonio Brown. What disgusted me was that I watched the play over and over and saw the same thing. I saw the outside of Burfict's shoulder pad catch the facemask and shoulder of Brown and the hit looked like nothing "out of the ordinary" when it comes to hits in the NFL.

I immediately said that Brown faked his injury as he was not knocked out (as many people claimed) and he walked off the field only to turn and say something to Adam Jones before he exited the field. While Brown was NOT knocked out and did lay on the field for about 1 minute, 45 seconds, he walked off the field being helped by a coach, he obviously did suffer a concussion as the Pittsburgh Steelers Injury website just announced that Brown did not practice again and his status to play Sunday went from "day to day" to "out". While I still do not think that the hit was dirty (especially when you consider how dirty Vontaze Burfict is) because he could have taken Brown's head off and didn't and I do still believe that Brown deserved a "Grammy" (in the words of Pac Man Jones) for laying down on the ground for nearly 2 minutes only to walk off the field instead of being carted off, I was wrong about the severity of Brown's injury. I see hits much worse than that hit in every NFL and NCAA game I watch, so I went as far as saying that both the Pittsburgh staff and Antonio Brown faked the entire thing. Honestly, if a player is "knocked out" and receives a "concussion" due to what the commentators (wrongly) called a helmet to helmet hit, that player should be carted off of the field. Since I watched Brown walk off the field and then turn towards Jones to say something (or wink and smile, as Jones put it), I thought he was faking it from the beginning...until now.

Obviously, I was wrong. So... To Antonio Brown, his family, and the Steelers' team and staff, I am very sorry. I sincerely apologize as I was wrong when I called Brown a faker. I still do not see the hit as something that deserves a 3 game suspension or fine because hits worse than that (legal or illegal) happen in EVERY football game. Also, I believe that Burfict shied away on his hit of Brown because, as I said, he easily could have went helmet to helmet and hurt Brown badly. Regardless though, I was 100% wrong and owe Antonio Brown and the Pittsburgh Steelers' community a huge apology. I am sorry for calling Brown a faker as I did on 3 different websites (this site included). I was wrong. I admit it, and I can only hope to be forgiven, and also hope that I will be a bit more sympathetic to players that are playing my favorite game at its highest level in the future. Players have gotten concussions through the history of football and in some cases, it has ruined their lives.

Again, I apologize. Now, please go out on Sunday and beat the hell out of Denver. I certainly don't want my favorite team, the defending champion New England Pats, to have to travel to Denver to play for a spot in the Super Bowl. After my Pats mop Gillette Stadium with the Chiefs, I'd much rather see my Pats play at home against the Steelers.

Again...I apologize to Steeler Nation and Antonio Brown. I was wrong and admit it.

Oh...if you are like me, you love to watch former Buckeyes in the NFL. Pittsburgh has three Buckeyes that start on defense: Cameron Heyward, Ryan Shazier, and Will Allen. All 3 are on the Steelers' injury report (Doran Grant also plays defense for the Steelers and is listed as 3rd string). As of 8:30 on Friday night, the Steelers Injury Report website reported that the three Buckeyes that start for Pittsburgh are probable and will start. So...Go Buckeyes and Go Steelers.