Vontaze Burfict

Antonio Brown explains how his 'swag' improved after Vontaze Burfict's hit

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:29 p.m. ET

Cameron DaSilva

Antonio Brown’s season came to a sudden end in 2015, when he suffered a concussion in the divisional round of the playoffs after taking a shot to the head from Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. The hit was penalized and essentially helped Brown's Pittsburgh Steelers win the game, but it kept him out of the conference championship game against the Denver Broncos.

The Steelers, of course, lost that game, and they would have had a much better shot at reaching the Super Bowl had Brown been on the field. That still haunts the All-Pro receiver, but he’s turned it into a positive.

“I think my swag got a little bit better,” Brown said on ESPN’s First Take.

He compared it to being a NASCAR driver and getting into a crash.

"You can't have no fear," Brown said. "It's like a NASCAR driver who's been in an accident. You can't get into the car with fearful thoughts. You have to have faith. You just have to go out there and be more aggressive."

Brown realizes that the game of football brings sometimes head-rattling hits. He’s not going to let that prevent him from continuing to step on the field, though.

It simply comes with the territory.

"Play this game long enough, you're going to get hit," Brown said. "That just comes as part of playing football and being in the game. Obviously, that hit actually won us the game. It's called taking one for the team."

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Vontaze Burfict

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