Pac-Man Jones Admits Bengals Were "Literally Trying To Kill" Steelers WR Antonio Brown

Former Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown had one of the greatest runs in NFL history during his 2010 to 2018 tenure in the Steel City. Playing alongside quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Brown helped put up historic numbers and consistently made the Steelers' offense one of the most dangerous in the league. Their connection on the field was electric, and Brown’s ability to make plays in any situation kept defenses on high alert. Fast forward to the 2025 season, and the Steelers' offense looks completely different, showing just how pivotal Brown was during his prime years.

One of the most memorable and brutal moments of Brown’s career came against the Cincinnati Bengals when he was coming across the middle of the field. Vontaze Burfict delivered a direct hit to Brown’s head, causing him to spin and fall to the turf. The hit was widely considered dirty at the time and may have had a lasting impact on Brown, who has had an unusual and often controversial life following his playing career. The incident remains a defining moment in the rivalry between the Steelers and Bengals during that era.

Adding another layer to the story, one of the Bengals players on that team, Adam Pac-Man Jones, recently admitted to Julian Edelman in an interview on the Game With Names podcast that their mindset toward Brown went beyond just a tough football play. The revelation sheds light on the extreme mentality that sometimes existed in NFL matchups and helps explain the intensity of the physical confrontations that Brown faced during his career.

"We were literally trying to kill AB," Jones said to Edelman on the show. "I tell the truth, we were. ... It was just little antics he was doing. Little lame a** s*** that we just didn't agree with all the shaking. But we went with that, bro, like we were real football players, and we had a bond in our locker room, like, 'Hey, bro, we don't want to see this. Like, if you go across the middle, you're getting killed. Like run slant, I don't even care, bro, catch the ball. Good luck.' That's just how it was."

The funniest and most ironic part of this story is that this exact mentality ended up costing the Bengals a playoff game they should have easily wrapped up against Pittsburgh. At the then-Heinz Field, it appeared the Bengals were just going to run out the clock, but a lucky turnover gave the Steelers a second chance.

The Steelers were able to pull off an improbable win, aided by late Bengals penalties, taking the AFC Wild Card game 18-16 thanks to a 35-yard field goal by Chris Boswell. 

Steelers Fans Knew The Bengals Were Playing Dirty

The most ironic part is that both Pac-Man Jones and Burfict were flagged for 15-yard penalties on that final Steelers drive, helping Pittsburgh pull off the comeback. Some would call that karma. Steelers fans of course already knew that the Bengals were playing dirty, but hearing Jones admit their intent years later is telling.

It is disturbing to realize a game got that serious, but moments like this are part of why the NFL has worked to move away from that era of football when Jones and Burfict played. 

The Steelers’ defense was also at the forefront of player safety initiatives during that time, highlighting the contrast between the physicality on the field and the league’s push to protect its players. The admission by Jones shows how intensity, recklessness, and karma shaped NFL history forever.

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