The rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers is always heated, no matter where the teams might be in the standings when the games are played. The stakes have rarely been as high as they will be on Sunday, with the teams competing for sole possession of first place in the AFC North at the halfway point of the 2026 season.
Jared Verse is a newcomer to the iconic history, with just one game against the Steelers under his belt in his first year with the Browns. Yet that hasn’t stopped him from expressing some harsh thoughts about them, either after that first meeting or heading into this one.
Meanwhile, Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt is about to play his 17th regular-season game against the Browns, and the All-Pro sent a dismissive message about the Browns’ trash talk.
“I don’t hear any of that stuff,” Watt said.
“We know how weighty this game is.”
TJ Watt asked ahead of facing the Browns how he reacts to trash talk from the opponent prior to the game
“I don’t hear any of that stuff.” pic.twitter.com/ZDtOBHsyED
— Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) October 30, 2026
It is easy to see why Watt feels this way. The Steelers are the defending division champion and have won it three times in his previous nine seasons.
Cleveland has never won its division since being reinstated into the NFL in 1999. The Browns have also lost 22 straight regular-season games at Pittsburgh, a streak that dates to October 2003.
After defeating the Steelers 27-24 in Week 4, the Browns have a chance to sweep the season series for the first time since 1988. Coming out of that game, Verse accused Pittsburgh of being dirty and expressed his anticipation for the rematch. This week, he doubled down, saying the Browns would “dominate” and that they would “make Pittsburgh ours on Sunday.”
Perhaps it is a way for Verse to pump himself up, and his young teammates, for the most important game they have played to date. But facing a veteran team like the Steelers, that could backfire in a big way, even if Watt said he doesn’t pay attention to such things.
The stage is set for another contentious battle, with the winner getting to hold bragging rights, at least for the next few weeks.
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