Vontaze Burfict got what he wanted, and Cincinnati Bengals fans should be ashamed of themselves. Upset that Giovani Bernard was brutally hit by Ryan Shazier just minutes earlier, Burfict got a clean shot on Big Ben Roethlisberger and took out all his rage on the oft-injured quarterback.
Though the hit was completely legal, Burfict drove his body into the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback in a pile-driving move, injuring the quarterback in the process.
#Bengals Vontaze Burfict pile drives #Steelers Ben Roethlisberger into the ground pic.twitter.com/ipiovSfcJ1
— The Sports Daily (@SportsDailyBlog) January 10, 2016
After hobbling to the sideline, Roethlisberger was then carted to the locker room while Cincinnati’s fans threw water bottles at him.
Ben Roethlisberger being carted off with might be a serious injury while projectiles are thrown at him. Ugly scene in Cincy
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 10, 2016
Stay classy, Cincinnati https://t.co/0M0BwuR87Y
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 10, 2016
Now, we all know the Bengals and Steelers have a fierce rivalry, playing in the brutal AFC North. But the actions of those fans responsible for throwing bottles at Roethlisberger are reprehensible and inexcusable.