Colts Don’t Think Bengals’ Vontaze Burfict Is Dirty Player

The Indianapolis Colts don’t agree with the idea that Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict is a dirty player.

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict has been labeled a dirty player by many after video showed the Arizona State product twisting the ankles of Carolina Panthers players Cam Newton and Greg Olson during Week 6.

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However, the Indianapolis Colts, the Bengals’ Week 7 opponent, don’t agree with the masses, telling Pro Football Talk that they appreciate his style of play.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano:

"“No, the guy plays extremely hard,” Pagano said of Burfict. “He’s a really good football player. Got a ton of respect for him. He’s tough. He’s hard-nosed. He’s downhill. He can run. He can cover. He’s everything you want in a linebacker. It’s our job just to make sure we get a hat him, we take care of him and we don’t let him wreck the game. Because he’s more than capable of doing that whether it’s sideline to sideline playing the run, playing the pass, blitzing, whatever it is. He’s a great player. So I’m not worried about any of that stuff. I’m just worried about trying to get him blocked.”"

Indy quarterback Andrew Luck also didn’t speak ill of Burfict, instead calling him “a heck of a football player.”

It’s certainly interesting to see the Colts talk so positively about a guy that was pretty clearly playing a dirty brand of football last Sunday. Perhaps Pagano and Luck simply don’t want to irk Burfict and incite him to use similar tactics against them.

Burfict has 18 tackles and one forced fumble this season.

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