Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns heard something he didn’t want to hear Sunday — and the wrong guy got a receipt for it.
In the third quarter of this evening’s 21-18 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the two-time Pro Bowler delivered a strike to the face of offensive lineman Cody Mauch.
After the game he was asked about the punch.
“One of their offensive linemen said something early on that he shouldn’t have said to me and my team,” Burns told reporters. “From then on, I was at about a 10. I was crazy.”
Burns, who made sure to clarify that the comment was not made by Mauch, took accountability for the decision.
“There were some incidents,” he said. “We got points. The game was not going my way. Initially, this wasn’t even my fight. I was just shocked and reacted. I take full accountability for my actions. I cannot do that.”
Burns was also asked whether the comment was a racial slur. He did not give any clarification on this.
“It was something he shouldn’t have said,” he said.