CLEVELAND — Even after losing to the Cleveland Browns in the wild card round on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still providing their AFC North division rival with bulletin board material.
Taking to TikTok Live on Monday, rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool addressed his team's season-ending 48-37 defeat at the hands of the Browns. And in doing so, Claypool was short on praise for the team that had beaten Pittsburgh just hours prior, predicting that Cleveland would suffer a blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in this weekend's divisional round.
"A bad loss, but the Browns are going to get clapped next week so it's all good," Claypool said in a video recorded by Brad Stainbrook of BrownsWave.
Claypool isn't the first Steelers wide receiver to take a swipe at the Browns. Speaking to reporters last week, JuJu Smith-Schuster downplayed Pittsburgh's upcoming opponent, seemingly pointing to Cleveland's recent lack of success ahead of the Browns' first playoff game in 18 years.
“I think they’re still the same Browns teams I play every year,” Smith-Schuster said. “I think they’re nameless gray faces. They have a couple good players on their team, but at the end of the day, I don’t know. The Browns is the Browns."
Smith-Schuster's comments seemed to serve as a rallying cry for the Browns, who were quick to throw "the Browns is the Browns" quote back in his face following Sunday night's game. Additionally, multiple Browns players mocked Smith-Schuster's signature TikTok dance in their postgame celebration in the locker room at Heinz Field.
But while the Browns were quick to fire back at Smith-Schuster, a response to Claypool seems less likely. After all, unlike Pittsburgh, Cleveland has another playoff game to prepare for this week.