Rivalry games usually produce a moment that lives on after the final whistle. Sometimes it is a big hit or a game-changing play, and sometimes it is something that happens away from the ball that one side cannot let go. Those moments tend to carry into the next meeting. Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh produced one of them.
The play came during a Steelers kick, when guard Mason McCormick lifted Jared Verse and drove him into the turf. Pittsburgh fans celebrated it as a show of strength, but Cleveland’s locker room saw it differently.
“Mason McCormick with the body slam on the Browns! #Steelers #NFL,” Blitzburgh wrote.
Mason McCormick with the body slam on the Browns! #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/M0L2gRyqFU
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) November 1, 2026
Verse made his feelings clear after the 27-6 loss.
“To do something like that — I can’t have respect for anything like that,” Verse said.
Jared Verse on the Mason McCormick play:
“To do something like that — I can’t have respect for anything like that.” #CLEvsPIT pic.twitter.com/Hml4hY1qSc
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) November 1, 2026
Verse’s reaction fits a theme he has hammered all season. After the Week 4 win in Cleveland, he said he had no respect for players who play dirty and do too much after the whistle, and he took aim at Pittsburgh’s blockers. Earlier this week, he said he was not worried about anyone on the Steelers. After Sunday’s game, he said he stands by everything he has said.
His frustration is understandable. A slam during a kick has nothing to do with blocking for the field goal, and plays like that can lead to injuries.
Pittsburgh dominated the game, running for 200 yards and sacking Deshaun Watson 8 times, while Verse finished without a sack for the 8th straight game this season.
The league could review the McCormick play this week, and a fine would support Verse’s view. Either way, the moment adds another layer to a rivalry that has had plenty of tension this season.
The rematch will have to wait until next year, and the Browns will make their next trip to Pittsburgh carrying a record-tying 23-game losing streak. Verse will be remembering this play, and the best response would be to finish plays himself. That chance comes next week against the New Orleans Saints.
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