There was a distinct lack of Christmas cheer in Cleveland after the Browns’ 26–8 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The Week 13 game at Huntingdon Bank Field ended in more than just another loss for Cleveland, however, as several Browns players vented their anger at Niners receiver Jauan Jennings, who found himself at the centre of a second war of words in as many weekends.

Veteran lineman Shelby Harris did not hold back as he recounted the moment that provoked outrage amongst his team-mates, claiming that, as Browns defensive tackle Maliek Collins was being carted off with an injury, Jennings allegedly directed provocative comments in his direction. Harris, normally measured in his assessment of games, unloaded a scathing post-game rant, calling Jennings a ‘hoe’ and claiming that the wideout ‘said things you should not say to another man — ever!’, before adding that, after making those remarks, Jennings ‘ran behind his O-line’ — a move Harris called ‘some real soft s**t’.

Fellow Browns star Myles Garrett also weighed in, condemning Jennings’s trash talk as ‘demeaning and disparaging’ toward his fallen team-mate and calling it out as unsportsmanlike.

“I see exactly why [Carolina safety Tre’von Moehrig] punched him in the nuts,” Harris concluded, referring to the previous weekend’s altercation in the Bay Area. “I’m just surprised nobody punched him in the jaw yet.”

Moehrig earned a one-game suspension for punching Jennings below the belt in last week’s Monday Night Football encounter, but claimed that the San Francisco player had been running his mouth and engaging in his own dirty tactics throughout the game. Moehrig’s low blow resulted in Jennings retaliating after the game had ended, although the receiver only received a financial penalty given the level of provocation.

Despite the controversy, the 49ers have kept using Jennings as a major outlet for quarterback Brock Purdy — and he produced four catches for 39 yards and a touchdown in Cleveland — but the repeated nature of these skirmishes may force the league, opponents or even his own team to address the growing concern over his on-field conduct.