The Buffalo Bills had trade discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers surrounding Antonio Brown, but they will not be acquiring the star wide receiver.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported late Thursday night that the Steelers were closing in on a trade of Brown to Buffalo, but Brown immediately labeled the report “fake news” on Instagram. It was then shot down by numerous reporters.
On Friday morning, Bills GM Brandon Beane acknowledged that the team had “positive talks” with the Steelers about Brown but said a trade “didn’t make sense for either side.”
Bills’ GM Brandon Beane: “We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers. We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn’t make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2019
So what happened? According to Rapoport, the Bills had “intense talks” and almost finalized a trade with the Steelers, but Brown would not commit to showing up in Buffalo if he was dealt there. The Bills decided the deal was “not worth the drama.”
From @gmfb: The #Bills neared a trade last night for WR Antonio Brown, who would not commit to showing up in Buffalo. The organization did speak with agent Drew Rosenhaus. This morning, Buffalo says they are out, amid uncertainty. Steelers are square one again. pic.twitter.com/d4suLfaVWP
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Brown has made it clear this offseason that he wants to play for a contender. While he doesn’t have a no-trade clause, he can threaten to retire if he doesn’t want to play for a certain team. That could, in theory, make that team get cold feet, and apparently that is what happened with the Bills.
Perhaps Brown saw the way he was ruthlessly mocked following reports that he was traded to the Bills. If he wants to win a championship, Buffalo probably isn’t the place to be.
