Kimo von Oehlhoffen on Steelers-Bengals rivalry: ‘There’s a way to play the game …’
PITTSBURGH 鈥� The contentious and sometimes dirty rivalry between the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals did not begin, nor did it end, with Kimo von Oehlhoffen鈥檚 low hit on Carson Palmer a decade ago. So says von Oehlhoffen.
The former defensive lineman was on both sides of Steelers-Bengals during his 14-year NFL career, spending his first six seasons in Cincinnati and the next six up the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, where he鈥檚 best remembered for his low 鈥� but legal at the time 鈥� hit on Palmer during the first quarter of the 2005 AFC wild-card game.
鈥淚 remember when I was in Cincinnati, for Cincinnati, it was the rivalry, it was the team to beat, the team you wanted to be like,鈥� von Oehlhoffen said in October during the Steelers鈥� alumni weekend. 鈥淚 came from that rivalry and, coming to Pittsburgh, I don鈥檛 know if I saw that rivalry born. But I do know that our games, regardless of how good anybody was, came down to that day, and any game, any play, any team could win. It was always a tough game.鈥�
On the infamous play in 鈥�05, Palmer suffered a torn ACL but was able to resume his career, earning Pro Bowl honors as recently as 2015 with Arizona. In 2006, the NFL even adopted a 鈥淐arson Palmer Rule鈥� designed to protect quarterbacks from taking hits to the knee.
But that is of little solace to Cincinnati, which has still never won a Super Bowl but seen Pittsburgh win twice since, including 2005. The Bengals haven鈥檛 won a playoff game in 26 years, a streak that will soon reach 27.
The Palmer incident seems almost mild by what鈥檚 transpired in recent games between the Steelers and Bengals, who will meet again Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati.
In a 2014 game, Bengals safety Reggie Nelson ended Le鈥橵eon Bell鈥檚 season with a hit to the knee that had Mike Tomlin fuming afterward. Last season, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict ended Bell鈥檚 season in November with a tackle that precipitated a war of words and a pre-game brawl five weeks later.
In last year鈥檚 AFC wild card, Burfict knocked out Antonio Brown with a hit to the head that handed the Steelers the win but prevented the All-Pro receiver from playing the following weekend in a divisional round loss at Denver. Burfict was later slapped with a three-game suspension to start this season, which included the Steelers鈥� 26-14 win in Week 2.
When the Steelers return to Paul Brown Stadium for the first time since on Sunday, they鈥檒l have a healthy Bell and Brown. And, yes, the Bengals will have Burfict.
Despite the suspension, Burfict is largely unrepentant. He has been fined twice this season for $77,154 for stepping on New England running back LeGarrette Blount in Week 6 and for giving Cincinnati fans the middle finger in Week 11.
Von Oehloffen wouldn鈥檛 speak on Burfict specifically, but says there is a certain code of conduct, a respect that all players must adhere.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a way to play the game and there鈥檚 a way not to play the game,鈥� von Oehlhoffen said. 鈥淚 think our coaches, I think our administrators, our league does a pretty good job of alerting us of what those rules are, what type of men we want to be.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 comment on (Burfict), but I know we always want to strive for good people, good football players, playing the game right and treating people right at all times. I hope it gets better.鈥�
So do the current Steelers. Though there were no problems in Week 2 between the teams 鈥� there were only a combined 10 flags for 85 yards 鈥� the Steelers know the temperature of this game will be elevated with Burfict present.
But on Monday, the Steelers, who are still engaged in a tight battle with Baltimore for the AFC North title and a playoff spot, didn鈥檛 antagonize the 5-7-1 Bengals.
Veteran tackle Marcus Gilbert, who labeled the Bengals as playoff chokers last fall, said Burfict is 鈥渙ne of the best middle linebackers in the game of football.鈥�
And if Burfict acts up again?
鈥淲e鈥檒l deal with him whenever it gets to that,鈥� said guard Ramon Foster.