CLEVELAND — On Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool made waves when he stated that the Cleveland Browns were going to get "clapped" by the Kansas City Chiefs -- hours after the Browns had ended Claypool and the Steelers' season.
"A bad loss, but the Browns are going to get clapped next week so it's all good," Claypool could be seen saying in a TikTok Live video captured by Brad Stainbrook of BrownsWave, referring to Cleveland's upcoming matchup with the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the AFC divisional round on Sunday.
Speaking to DAZN Canada on Wednesday, Claypool was given the opportunity to explain his comments. In doing so, he stated that he was especially "salty" toward the Browns for the way they behaved during their 48-37 victory over the Steelers in the AFC wild card round on Sunday.
"If the Browns had won with more class, then I wouldn't have been so salty about it," Claypool said, explaining that he was responding to a fan who had asked him for a score prediction. "But them mocking JuJu [Smith-Schuster] during the game and after the game just didn't sit right with me.
"They were just super classless. against JuJu, toward JuJu, what they were saying on the field toward the end of the game. So I'm not going to have respect for a team that doesn't have respect for us."
As you might imagine, Claypool's explanation was far from a mea culpa. Rather, the rookie wideout went as far as to double down on his prediction for Sunday's divisional round matchup, which the Browns enter as a 10-point underdog.
"I don't mind it," Claypool said, responding to the reaction that Browns players had to his initial comments. "They can enjoy the win and another week of football, but they'll be right back on the couch right next to me next week, so it's all good."