Consider Vontaze Burfict. I do, often.

 

Vontaze Burfict is an outside linebacker on the precipice of his sixth season in the NFL. In his professional career, he has 502 tackles and seven sacks. In 2013, he was the first Cincinnati Bengals linebacker to make the Pro Bowl in 37 years. He has also been fined more than $1 million over his career for illegal hits and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, may have cost the Bengals their best chance at a postseason victory in decades (after nearly winning it for them), and will start the season on the bench to serve a suspension for a vicious hit.

 

But that is Vontaze Burfict’s job, and his identity as a player. As teammate Adam Jones said last year, he’s a “hired hitman.” “There’s only a couple linebackers that play with that type of aggression,” Jones told ESPN. “Those are the great ones. Go back and look at it. I’m not saying Ray Lewis was a dirty player or anything, but him and Vontaze have the same characteristics. Exactly the same.” In short, Vontaze Burfict is often penalized for doing exactly what he is paid roughly $4.75 million a year to do. And he is very, very good at it.

 

Vontaze Burfict Is Football’s Inescapable Past and Future - The Ringer

Agreed, he is one of my favorites. Love his intensity.