NFL Trade Talk: Steelers To Listen To Offers For Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger Ripped WR In Meetings
Antonio Brown isn’t just one of the most talented wide receivers in the league today but in the entire history of the NFL. He’s 30-years-old with 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns in his nine seasons, which have all been with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Well, things are obviously not going well in the organization and it now seems as if the team is willing to listen to trade offers for the fantastic wideout.
According to NFL.com, sources are saying that the Steelers are expected to consider trade requests from teams before free agency begins. If they can receive a big enough offer, and it will likely have to be pretty substantial, the Steelers are not against trading him away.
Brown did not play in the 2018 regular season finale for the Steelers, who were still alive for a playoff spot when the weekend began. Earlier this week, head coach Mike Tomlin denied reports that Brown had requested a trade, but said that the wide receiver was made inactive due to not communicating with his team or teammates.
“When we’re talking about the darkest hour, we’re talking about playing to win a game and needing other dominoes to fall for us to be in the tournament and the guy not communicating — that is a real element of discussion, certainly.”
Reports stated that the main reason for Antonio Brown’s benching against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 was an altercation with a teammate. It now appears as if that teammate was quarterback Ben Roethlisberger who has apparently been critical of his wide receiver, per CBS Sports.
The altercation that led Antonio Brown's benching last week was with Ben Roethlisberger. Im told it was fairly ugly and the WR was totally in the wrong. He went AWOL essentially for the 3rd time this season dating back to training camp
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 31, 2018
James Jones of Pro Football Talk is reporting that Big Ben would actually take shots at Brown during meetings and argue with him. Brown would do things wrong in practice and even tell the quarterback that he felt underappreciated.
It seems as if the problems between Brown and Roethlisberger have been going on for a while and boiling up.
“I’ve been told in meetings [Roethlisberger] would take shots at AB. Like, ‘I don’t got to throw you the ball,’ and things like that. Wednesday in practice, I heard he ran the wrong route, Big Ben threw the ball on the ground, said, ‘Get him out of here. Get somebody else in there,’ and that’s when AB was at his boiling point and that’s when he went off.”
Roethlisberger has since denied any kind of problem or altercation in recent interviews. He said that he has reached out to Antonio Brown, but hasn’t received much of an answer as to what was going on with him.
After the season finale is when reports of Brown requesting a trade popped up, and now, it seems as if the team is ready to possibly grant that.
Report: Ben Roethlisberger criticized Antonio Brown in meetings, wanted him off the practice field after AB ran the wrong route https://t.co/8PtC9xegvw pic.twitter.com/UQmsO5OSO2
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 5, 2019
The Pittsburgh Steelers just barely missed the 2019 NFL playoffs and it’s fully expected that they will compete for a spot next season, but they may be down one talented player. Antonio Brown has given the team nine great years, but frustrations are in place and things simply aren’t going well in the relationship any longer. For the teams that need a talented wide receiver, it’s time to start looking at your assets and seeing what you may be able to trade for AB.
