AFC North News and Notes: Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict knows he needs to make changes

Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict has built up quite the reputation due to his behavior over the course of his football career even dating back to college. And it's not a good reputation. After being suspended for the first-three games of the 2016 NFL regular season due to personal foul penalties he committed late in the 2015 season, Burfict has come to the realization that he needs to clean up his act. Sort of.

Here is what Burfict had to say about his style of play via ESPN.com

"Like I told coach [Marvin Lewis], I wish I could take that play back because I probably would've hit him low," Burfict noted "I don't like hitting low, but I have to change because it's getting flags because I hit him high or hit him in the helmet, and it's so hard to determine where to hit the offender because they're gonna tuck their body, and you have to pretty much tuck with them."

"I play hard. Sometimes it gets me in trouble," Burfict noted. "My style of play is aggressive, and [the game has] changed, and I have to change with it, and that play right there, I think if I wasn't number 55, I wouldn't have got flagged."

So on one hand, Burfict understands that he needs to change his style of play, but also believes that he is being targeted personally by the league. Well, even if that is true, who's fault is that? Burfict can't blame anyone that he has a bad reputation on the field. That's his problem.

Other AFC North News

• Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert says that Steelers runningback Le'Veon Bell does not have a timetable on his return to the field as he is still recovering a torn MCL and PCL he suffered against the Bengals in early November as being reported via TribLive.com.
• Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson is still evaluating Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon and his chronic off the field issues which led to him being suspended for the entire 2015 season. From sound of things, Gordon isn't a lock to remain a Cleveland Brown despite his talents as Jackson discusses via Cleveland.com.