Latest news with #Burfict
USA Today
08-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former NFL LB Vontaze Burfict hired by UNLV football as defensive analyst
It appears former NFL linebacker Vontaze Burfict has joined first-year coach Dan Mullen's staff at UNLV. Burfict is listed as a defensive analyst for the Rebels, which is his first coaching job since retiring from playing after the 2019 season. UNLV's interim defensive coordinator is Paul Guenther, who was once Burfict's linebackers coach and defensive coordinator during a shared tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals. REQUIRED READING: Former Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict says he only hit late against Steelers Guenther was also the defensive coordinator for the Raiders in 2019, which was Burfict's last NFL season. Burfict's hire is an interesting one, considering his profile from his playing career. The former undrafted signee was suspended 22 total games in his NFL career from 14 separate incidents, being fined a total of $5.3 million over eight seasons, according to The majority of his infractions came on player safety rules. Burfict received the longest on-field suspension in NFL history with the Raiders in 2019, missing 12 games after being called for a personal foul on former Colts tight end Jack Doyle. Burfict led with his helmet after Doyle was already on the ground. Burfict also infamously blindsided then-Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown over the middle of the field in the 2015 wild card round, putting the Steelers in field goal range and allowing them to kick a game-winning field goal. Brown was knocked unconscious on the hit. Burfict was suspended for three games to start the 2016 season for repeated violations of player safety rules. Burfict no doubt is one of the most talented linebackers in recent memory, however, as he was a five-star recruit tabbed as the No. 11 player nationally in the 2009 recruiting class, per 247Sports. He was expected to be a first-round pick after starring at Arizona State, although fell to undrafted after a disappointing NFL combine showing and character concerns. Burfict finished his NFL career with 77 starts in 79 games, record a career-high and NFL-high 171 total tackles in 2013. Burfict was a second-team All-Pro in 2013, and was also selected to his lone Pro Bowl that season. Burfict has been out of football since 2019, but Mullen and UNLV see something in the former linebacker.
NBC Sports
07-08-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Vontaze Burfict joins UNLV staff as defensive analyst
Vontaze Burfict is getting back in the game, albeit at the college level. Via Justin Williams of Burfict has joined UNLV's staff as a defensive analyst. Burfict is working under interim defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, who was Burfict's longtime linebackers position coach and coordinator with the Bengals. Burfict also played under Guenther with the Raiders in 2019. That was the last season of Burfict's career, as he was suspended after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Colts tight end Jack Doyle in the Raiders' fourth game of the season. While Burfict was reinstated at the end of the season, he went unsigned in free agency. Burfict received his 12-game suspension for repeated violations of player safety, including personal fouls and illegal hits. According to Sportrac, Burfict had lost $5.3 million due to fines and suspensions from 2013-2019. Burfict entered the league in 2012 as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State. He appeared in 79 games with 77 starts over the course of his career, making one Pro Bowl in 2013.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Fu*k the Steelers': Vontaze Burfict admits he purposely played dirty against the Steelers
If you ever thought Vontaze Burfict's chaos on the football field was just "playing hard," buckle up. The former Bengals linebacker known as one of the NFL's most fined and feared defenders has finally admitted that his dirty hits were completely intentional but only when facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Yup, the rivalry was that personal. His words? Not sugarcoated. Vontaze Burfict says it was never about being dirty unless it was Steelers week In a now-viral clip from a livestream with gamer Sketch, Burfict casually dropped the truth bomb that's reigniting one of the NFL's most brutal rivalries. 'Sketch, I didn't hit people after the play all the time, just the Steelers. F**k the Steelers,' he said while playing a video game without hesitation or regret. This wasn't some emotional outburst or misquoted rage. It was cool, calculated, and straight from the source. The moment was immediately clipped and shared across NFL social accounts, Steelers forums, and Reddit threads and fans had thoughts. The Bengals-Steelers rivalry just got its wildest chapter yet Burfict was never exactly subtle when it came to his feelings for the Steelers. His list of hits is basically a horror reel for Pittsburgh fans: The infamous 2016 playoff knockout blow to Antonio Brown that left him concussed. The taunting. The knee shots. The helmet-to-helmet hits. And now, the on-record confession that he meant to do it. The Bengals-Steelers rivalry was always a war zone. But this? This takes it from brutal to personal. And it retroactively confirms that some of the most controversial moments in recent NFL history weren't just emotional, they were calculated. This isn't Burfict's first controversy and probably won't be his last This is the same guy who racked up over $5 million in fines, missed 22 games due to suspensions, and once led the league in personal fouls for a full season. He was ejected multiple times and even helped inspire tougher league rules around player safety. Burfict always claimed he played 'real football.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But this latest admission flips the script: it wasn't about old-school toughness, it was personal vendetta football. And he's owning it. Say what you want about Vontaze Burfict, but the man never played pretend. He hated the Steelers, and he wasn't afraid to show it, on the field, in interviews, and now on livestreams. His quote may be blunt and NSFW, but it's exactly what Steelers fans always suspected. Those hits weren't emotional. They were intentional and with that, the rivalry legend only grows. Also read -
