In just five words, Antonio Brown shifted the sporting focus in Pittsburgh from the Penguins’ disappointing playoff exit to the possibility of his return to the Steelers.
The former Steelers All’Pro wide receiver expressed his desire to return to Pittsburgh via social media on Monday. Later, he clarified his original message, stating that he just wants to retire with the Steelers, not play. Brown spent his first nine NFL seasons with the Steelers, where he was a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010s.
Brown’s messy exit from Pittsburgh largely overshadowed his dominance on the court during his tenure with the Steelers. The former sixth-round pick forced a trade from Pittsburgh to the Raiders after publicly criticizing the Steelers organization on several occasions after the 2018 season. The problems between the two teams began after Brown was suspended for the final of the team’s regular season after missing practice in the days leading up to the game.
Mike Tomlin, Brown’s head coach for each of his nine seasons in Pittsburgh, was asked about a possible reunion with Brown during the 2020 offseason. At the time, Brown was a free agent after being released by the Patriots after playing a game for them the previous season. Brown at this time was also facing a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual misconduct, among other things.
“I will say this: Once a Steeler, always a Steeler,” Tomlin said on First take. “We have had great success over more than nine years with Antonio. We will always be interested in his growth and development as a man and we will be open to helping him in this area, but we have no activity in progress. interest at the moment. »
Brown eventually signed with the Buccaneers, where he won a Super Bowl while serving as the team’s third receiving option. Similar to his ends in Pittsburgh, Oakland and New England, Brown’s time in Tampa ended unceremoniously after he walked off the field as the game continued in a season-ending clash with the Jets. Brown was released after the game and has yet to be re-signed.
Injuries and a suspension in 2020 have limited Brown to just 15 games over the past two seasons. During that span, Brown caught 87 of 124 targets for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns averaging 11.8 yards per catch. In nine seasons with the Steelers, Brown caught 837 passes for 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns. From 2013 to 2018, Brown averaged 114 receptions for 1,524 yards and 11 touchdowns per season.
Would the Steelers consider signing Brown beyond a ceremonial one-day deal? That seems unlikely, given Brown’s exit in 2019, Tomlin’s comments in 2020 and the fact that the Steelers currently don’t need a receiver. However, Brown could certainly get his wish to retire a Steeler. The Steelers did it with Santonio Holmes, a Super Bowl MVP who went on to play with the Jets and Bears, in 2017.
