Antonio Brown may have irritated some of his teammates and coaches down the stretch of the 2016 NFL season, but that does not mean the Pittsburgh Steelers are ready to move on from arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL.
According to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman, several teams have reached out to the Steelers to see if Brown is available via trade. Two of those teams told Freeman they were given an emphatic “hell no” from Pittsburgh.
So are the Steelers sick of Brown’s antics, or was all the Facebook locker room video drama blown out of proportion? It appears the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Freeman reports that some of Brown’s teammates felt his ego was getting too big but believe he has learned his lesson.
Yet it’s also true that in speaking with several Steelers players, it’s clear some felt Brown’s ego was starting to get out of control. They added that some coaches, including Tomlin, believed the same. Some in the organization thought Brown cared too much this season about his stats.
To be clear, Brown still has unbelievable support in the locker room, the Pittsburgh players explained, and they insisted he is still extremely well liked and respected.
Most importantly, they think Brown learned from his mistake and the team is now fully behind him.
Brown sounded like a man who has been humbled while speaking with Freeman.
“The big thing I learned is that I have some growing up to do, and I’m going to do it,” he said. “I learned a lot from it and will keep learning. I’m going to rebuild the trust with my teammates and my coaches. I promise you that, too.
“Steeler for life. For life.”
Many reports have been exaggerated, but the comments Ben Roethlisberger made about Brown after the playoffs said a lot. Brown’s coaches and teammates weren’t only frustrated with him because he posted a private locker room video on Facebook. There was more to it than that, but it appears they have worked through it and are ready to pay the 28-year-old top dollar.
