Stevie Johnson doesn't believe his so-called dirty hit is to blame for Eric Berry's torn anterior cruciate ligament.
And the outspoken Buffalo Bills wide receiver wasn't afraid to say so after someone posed this question to him on Twitter: "did God make you take a cheap shot on our best player?"
That didn't sit well with Johnson, who provided an animated, insult-laden response, "man shutup U clown ILL NEVER CHEAPSHOT A PLAYER ON THE FIELD! IDC if he my Enemy U Square! Last I checked a cut block was legal!"
Johnson is right. There is nothing illegal about what he did. But after news broke Monday that Berry, the Kansas City Chiefs' star safety, will miss the season because of the injury, a debate brewed about whether or not the hit was ethical -- or worth a fine from the NFL.
The hit happened during the Bills' 41-7 road victory over the Chiefs, when Johnson dove straight for Berry's lower legs in an attempt to throw a downfield block. Berry continued playing for a short while until he collapsed without being touched during a play.
"We tell our guys, 'Hey, you go block those guys because let me tell you, if you're up in the air, they're not going to hesitate to go get you and to take a shot at you,' " Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "That's an opportunity for our receivers to go down the field and hit those guys. It's legal."
Gailey pointed out the block happened about 10 yards from an official.
"It wasn't the only person we went down and cut," he said. "It wasn't the only time we did it."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.