That's right folks, interior of the trenches heat!
It started Sunday, when Turner, the Tennessee Titans' veteran center, was penalized -- and later fined -- for a peel-back block on Watt, the Houston Texans' star defensive tackle. The block was legal last year, but now isn't according to the NFL's updated rule book.
Watt criticized Turner after the game, calling his actions "absolutely" dirty. This characterization rubbed Turner the wrong way.
"Some people have asked if I am a dirty player. I don't think I am a dirty player, I am a hard-nose guy and that gets misconstrued sometimes," Turner said, via The Tennessean. "I know J.J. was saying all sorts of stuff to the media down there about him (telling me he has) a family to feed and stuff like that, but all that wasn't true and he's full of it for saying it. That was a lie about him talking to me."
Watt said he spoke to Turner about his actions on the field. Turner doesn't recall getting much reaction at all from Watt.
"Whether you call it an apology or whether you call it a professional courtesy, I was trying to say, "Hey I wasn't going after you like that, and you can see that on film," Turner said. "And it bothered me he made a big stink about it. For the record, he wouldn't even look at me, and I don't have a problem if you put that in print. In fact, I'd encourage you to put that in print and he's full of it by saying that."
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