Did dirty Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict kick a Steelers player?

The problem when you have a well-earned reputation is that you don’t get the benefit of the doubt.

Vontaze Burfict‘s shenanigans are well known by now. The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker is the dirtiest player in the game and has the suspensions to prove it. Then he does things like refuse to shake hands with the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ captains during the coin toss before Sunday’s game, and he doesn’t help himself.

If this was any other player on the ground, kicking his legs to get an opponent off of him, we’d move along about our day and not think of it again. But, this is Burfict.

Did Burfict really kick Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix? However you want to define it, he clearly tried to get Nix off of him by extending his legs out.

Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, who injured his knee in 2015 when Burfict pulled him down from behind after a catch, thought Burfict needs to be punished.

The NFL will probably take a look at it and decide if it was a kick or not. And if the league decides Burfict kicked an opponent, punishment will be coming.

That’s what happens when you have a reputation for being dirty.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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