Vontaze Burfict drew the ire of the New England Patriots on Sunday when he dove at the legs of Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett during the fourth quarter of the Cincinnati Bengals’ 35-17 loss at Gillette Stadium.
Asked about the hit during his Monday morning conference call, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he’d let the NFL assign blame as it saw fit.
“We’ll let the league talk about that play,” Belichick said. “It’s their decision. It doesn’t really matter what any of us think about it, anyway.”
The league does plan to review the play, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday morning. Burfict has a track record of illegal hits, including ones on Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in last season’s playoffs that resulted in a three-game suspension.
Bennett addressed the linebacker’s latest transgression after Sunday’s game.
“He hit me in the back of my knee,” Bennett said. “That’s low. …Â He apologized. He said he didn’t try to do it. But that’s part of the game. Stuff happens.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
