Conversations about player safety in the NFL sometimes involve the definition of a "defenseless receiver." Going forward, they may involve rules against wide receivers using self-defense techniques against defenders. Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown delivered a kick to the face of Browns punter Spencer Lanning while returning a kick in their teams' Week 1 matchup. Brown appeared to attempting to leap over Lanning on the play but he was the one initiating the contact in this instance.
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Brown's kick drew an unnecessary roughness penalty, costing the Steelers 15 yards on what would have been a solid punt return. The play also allowed Gregory Shamus of Getty Images to capture a couple incredible photos.
