Antonio Brown suggests teammate’s helmet hit on Vontaze Burfict is ‘karma’

Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown doesn’t appear to have much sympathy toward Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who was carted off the field Monday night after an illegal block to the head by Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Brown repeatedly used the word “karma” in reference to Burfict’s injury and said he’d pay any fine given to Smith-Schuster for the incident, according to multiple media reports.

When asked to clarify what he meant by “karma,” Brown said: “I ain’t talking about nobody, just karma is karma. Karma is in life; you do the wrong things, you get the wrong things happen to you. It’s not personal between no one.”

But Brown also smiled when asked about Smith-Schuster’s block on Burfict: “I liked that, I liked that.”

Later in the game, Brown took a helmet shot from Bengals safety George Iloka but was able to hold on to the ball for a touchdown catch. Smith-Schuster and Iloka each received a one-game suspension from the NFL on Tuesday.

Brown and Burfict have a history. Burfict delivered a brutal hit on Brown during a 2015 playoff game that left the Pro Bowl receiver concussed and unable to play the following week. Burfict was suspended three games for the incident. Leading up to Monday’s game, Burfict accused Brown of faking the concussion.

Following Monday’s incident, Burfict was in concussion protocol. Smith-Schuster, who was flagged for both the hit and for standing over Burfict afterward, showed remorse following the game.

“I was just playing to the whistle,” Smith-Schuster said. “I didn’t mean to stand over him. I was trying to get a big block for Le’Veon Bell for him to get upfield. The unsportsmanlike conduct is not me. I shouldn’t have done that. I hope he’s OK and I hope he gets better.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii

UPDATES:

12:20 p.m.: This article was updated after Smith-Schuster and Iloka were suspended one game by the NFL.

This article was originally published at 9:10 a.m.