Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is headed to the Oakland Raiders. If only there wasn’t that Facebook thing about two years ago?
It was “The Veronicas” who sang… “Everything is f’d up straight from the heart. Tell me what do you do when it all falls apart?”
Barring something unforeseen, wide receiver Antonio Brown will officially become a member of the Oakland Raiders this Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm ET (1 pm PT). The Pittsburgh Steelers are sending the outspoken nine-year pro to the Bay Area for a third- and fifth-round draft choice in April. And Brown will sign a brand new deal with the Silver and Black.
Things have really been contentious between the seven-time Pro Bowler and the organization that made him a sixth-round draft choice in 2010 over the last few months. And perhaps it all started with that locker room video (credit TMZ) following the team’s 18-16 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2016 AFC Divisional Playoffs?
Nevertheless, roughly a month later, the Steelers would sign Brown to a four-year, $68 million contract extension. He entered 2017 having caught at least 100 passes each of the past four years and would continue that production. But it was throw of his own and not a pass by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at Baltimore that would earn a lot of attention.
Nevertheless, roughly a month later, the Steelers would sign Brown to a four-year, $68 million contract extension. He entered 2017 having caught at least 100 passes each of the past four years and would continue that production. But it was throw of his own and not a pass by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at Baltimore that would earn a lot of attention. As that incident was eventually pushed aside, Brown went about his business before being injured in a Week 15 loss to the Patriots. He missed the final two games but still wound up with 101 receptions.
But this entire story and the recent events really began to take shape during the final Sunday of the 2018 regular season. Due to his actions during the week leading up to the game, Brown was suspended for the home tilt with the Bengals. And things apparently got ugly between him and his quarterback.
It’s been all downhill from there and most of it would occur on social media. In mid-February, Brown had this to say:
Later that week, there would be a meeting with Steelers’ owner Art Rooney II (via Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports). And change was on the horizon. “We agree it’s time to move on.”
Earlier this month, Brown sat down with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Ever since the team decided that there would be a trade, Kevin Colbert made it clear it would benefit his team. The Steelers made it clear that they were hoping to get a deal done ASAP. On Friday, there were whispers that the nine-year pro would be shuffling off to Buffalo. Maybe…
Evidently, Brown had no desire to relocate to Orchard Park, New York. But that’s all now a moot point. The Raiders are sending a third- and fifth-round draft choice this year to the Steelers for the prolific wideout’s services (via NFL Network).
Safe to say that Brown will be getting a substantial pay raise. More importantly, is this the end of one of the more public player/team disputes in recent NFL memory? One never knows, does one?