For the second time this season, the Cleveland Browns will face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers for AFC North bragging rights.
Cleveland earned a victory in their first outing against the Steelers, claiming a 24-19 win over their rivals just over two weeks ago.
Entering this rematch, there’s a little more tension between the two squads due to a post-game scrum between Pittsburgh wide receiver George Pickens and Cleveland cornerback Greg Newsome.
Browns cornerback Martin “M.J.” Emerson shared his thoughts about the fight following the game, and the third-year player sent a clear message to Pickens ahead of the teams’ rematch on Sunday.
“I don’t respect it,“ cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. said. ”I just feel like you got to take your wins like you take your losses. Take it on the chin as a grown man. I feel like when you don’t do that, you make excuses. I mean, I don’t know. At the end of the day, the reality is the reality. We won the game.”
Emerson entered the year as one of the top younger cornerbacks in the game, but the 6-foot-2 player has struggled this season.
The cornerback has been average this season by allowing 57.6 percent of passes against him to be completed for 511 yards and three touchdowns according to Pro Football Reference.
Last year, the cornerback did not allow a single touchdown to a receiver that he covered, helping the Browns’ defense finish with the fewest passing yards allowed during the 2023 regular season.
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