Mitchell: 'I'm more of a helmet-to-helmet kind of guy'

Steelers safety Mike Mitchell is on Steve Smith’s lifetime hit list for a hit Mitchell did not deliver.

Nothing made much sense regarding Baltimore’s 23-20 overtime victory over the Steelers Thursday night, including Smith’s claim that Mitchell speared him and said “How do you like that?” after the hit.

Replays showed linebacker Lawrence Timmons is the Steelers player who delivered the blow -- a legal one at that -- that knocked Smith out of the game with a lower back contusion. Nonetheless, Smith threatened Mitchell before leaving Heinz Field.

“The best thing I can do without threatening him and saying that I will assault him when I see him is I will say I look forward to playing him again,” Smith said. “He's on my lifetime hit list.”

On Friday, Mitchell had a quick comeback for his former teammate with the Carolina Panthers.

“Steve is an emotional guy,” Mitchell said. “He’s used that emotion for years to be a great player. That’s something he uses to try to fuel himself. I will say, if you look at my fine history, I’m more of a helmet to helmet kind of guy, so I’m not going to spear you.”

Mitchell said he is not concerned by Smith’s threat.

“It’s not even something I concern myself with,” he said. “I didn’t think anything of it when I heard of it. I don’t think anything of it now. I’m just going to go on playing football.”