Butch Dill/Associated Press
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown said Tuesday that while he is not angry with the only NFL organization he has ever known, he still wants to be traded.
In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Brown also discussed Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert’s recent comment that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger “has 52 kids under him, quite honestly.”
“He pretty much just explained what I already had told everyone,” Brown said. “He just confirmed it. He confirmed everything I said.”
Brown reportedly got into an argument with Roethlisberger at practice prior to the team’s Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. As a result, Brown didn’t practice the rest of the week and was inactive for the game, which helped lead to his trade request.
When asked recently about his issues with Big Ben, Brown wrote the following on Twitter:
Antonio Brown @AB84
No conflict just a matter of respect! Mutual respect! He has a owner mentality like he can call out anybody including coaches. Players know but they can’t say anything about it otherwise they meal ticket gone. It’s a dirty game within a game. #truth https://t.co/MsSyBVd3Ny
Colbert clarified his statements regarding the team by saying the Steelers don’t have a “bunch of juveniles,” but Brown wasn’t satisfied:
“Of course he tried to clarify because, you know, he stated the truth, and he’s going to backpedal on his words. But what grown man is calling another grown man a kid? ‘Fifty-two kids.’ Like, you don’t have no respect for these guys? Like, these are the guys that go to work for you. And that’s what I’m telling you guys … that’s my issue. You know what I’m saying? It’s all about respect.
“… Things [are] not getting better. They’re not changing. You know what I mean? He just stated it. There’s 52 kids and it’s this guy [Roethlisberger]. Bro, it’s one team. … So that’s what it is, man. Just understanding truths.”
Brown met last week with Colbert and Steelers owner Art Rooney II in Florida. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a source said “everyone agreed the trade will be for the best.”
Following the meeting, Brown tweeted about the parties’ making the decision to part ways:
Antonio Brown @AB84
Had a great meeting with Mr.Rooney today we discussed a lot of things and we cleared the air on several issues! We both agreed that it is time to move on but I’ll always have appreciation and gratitude towards the Rooney family and @steelers organization! #CallGod #Boomin https://t.co/DEgURchvhW
The 30-year-old Brown is arguably the top wideout in the NFL, as he has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the past six seasons. During that span, Brown has also caught at least 100 passes for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns in each season.
In 2018, the four-time First-Team All-Pro made 104 grabs for 1,297 yards and a league-leading 15 touchdowns.
While Brown will be a significant loss if and when he is traded, the Steelers are built to absorb it since JuJu Smith-Schuster led the team in receptions and receiving yardage last season and appears ready to assume the No. 1 receiver role.
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