Antonio Brown did not show up for work the day after the Steelers lost a tough game to the Chiefs, but his agent insists the absence has nothing to do with the star wide receiver being dissatisfied in Pittsburgh.
On Tuesday, Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Brown missed meetings and film study on Monday because he was tending to a “personal matter.” He said the absence had nothing to do with Brown’s tweet on Monday, which seemingly challenged the Steelers to trade him. Rosenhaus also insisted Brown does not want to play elsewhere.
1/2 Steelers' WR Antonio Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus: "The tweet yesterday was not in reference to anything other than Antonio responding to a person he knows. It was not directed towards a trade, or wanting to be trading. Any idea he was asking for a trade is not accurate.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2018
2/3 Rosenhaus: “Antonio had a personal matter. I talked to the team about it. His issue was unrelated to the tweet or his relationship with the team. Third, AB has an incredible drive to win. He just wants to win. That's all that that is.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2018
3/3 “That's not anything more than him encouraging his coaches and teammates to win. And that's what his entire focus is on. Any notion, any speculation otherwise, can be put to bed. This is a non-story that has been blown out of proportion. We can end this right here and now."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2018
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin all but confirmed on Tuesday that Brown’s absence was not excused, so it is still somewhat troubling that Rosenhaus had to speak with the team about it. If Brown was tending to a personal matter and has a solid relationship with Tomlin and the organization, it’s unclear why he would need to involve his agent.
In addition to his strange tweet and his absence from work on Monday, Brown has openly supported Le’Veon Bell at a time when other Steelers players have criticized the running back for being selfish with his holdout.
