HEADLINES

Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

Antonio Brown Submits Trade Request

February 12th, 2019 at 12:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Is this the end of the line for the Steelers and Antonio Brown? On Tuesday, the wide receiver bid farewell to the Steelers, via Twitter.

“Thank you SteelerNation for a big 9 years…time to move on and forward……….✌🏽 #NewDemands,” Brown wrote.

This has been building for a while, with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweeting Brown is tired of being scapegoated for the Steelers’ problems and seeks a new start. Although Adam Schefter of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) Brown has submitted a trade request to the Steelers, the ball will still be in the team’s court. It will cost the Steelers to trade the disgruntled superstar.

If Pittsburgh deals the soon-to-be 31-year-old wide receiver before March 17, it would tag the franchise with just more than $21MM in dead money. That number rises to $23.2MM after St. Patrick’s Day, because of a $2.5MM bonus due that day. A trade after June 1 would allow the team to avoid absorbing that cap hit all at once. No trade can be finalized until March 13, when the new league year opens.

On Tuesday, Brown was also found guilty for reckless driving after failing to appear in court, per Fowler (on Twitter). In November, police cited Brown for driving over 100 mph through a Pittsburgh suburb. Although it will only cost Brown $426.00, it adds to his list of off-field developments.

If the $20MM-plus in dead money were not enough of a deterrent for the Steelers to unload their four-time All-Pro first-teamer, Brown’s more significant off-field issue may well lower teams’ demand. One of the mothers of Brown’s children accused him of shoving her to the ground. Brown has denied any wrongdoing. Still, considering the other off-field trouble associated with Brown, it will be difficult for the Steelers to come close to getting market value in a trade.

Art Rooney II had gone from expecting Brown to be out of the picture by training camp to softening that stance. It appears Brown is trying to force the Steelers’ hand. This saga appears far from over.

Latest On Steelers, Le’Veon Bell

February 9th, 2019 at 10:13am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Le’Veon Bell saga with the Steelers has been seemingly going on forever now, and there’s still no end in sight to the drama. Another big fight between the two sides is brewing, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.

The latest reports have Pittsburgh likely to place the transition tag on Bell, and Fowler writes that “several NFL sources paint the transition tag as the Steelers’ risk-reward plight that could involve the NFLPA, the NFL management council and an independent arbitrator.” The transition tag is essentially a non-exclusive franchise tag that pays less than the regular tag and allows the player to negotiate with other teams but gives the tagging team the right to match any offer.

Fowler writes that a legal battle could be coming with potential involvement from the players’ union, over whether or not the year that Bell sat out counts as a tagged year. Normally Bell would be in line for a significant raise even under the transition tag if he was tagged for three straight years, but Fowler expects the Steelers to argue that his year-long absence resets things, and that he’s only due $9.5MM under the transition tag.

Fowler’s report also adds steam to the notion that Bell could return to the Steelers next year. Most have assumed the Steelers would only tag Bell with the intention of trading him, but it seems at the very least possible at this point that the two sides could mend their torn relationship. “There’s a faction of the Steelers organization that has a soft spot for Bell”, according to Fowler, who seems to think there’s a very real possibility Bell hasn’t played his last game as a Steeler.

Fowler also writes that it won’t be as easy as people have been saying for the team to tag and trade Bell. “Only Bell actually signing the transition tag can enable a trade, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of NFL contracts. By doing so, Bell would forfeit his rights and give the Steelers control of where he goes and how he gets there. That’s not happening with a player with the conviction to sit out a year”, Fowler opines.

Since the tag situation is messy and doesn’t guarantee the Steelers would get back any draft picks, the “cleanest way” to ensure draft compensation is “letting Bell walk to earn a compensatory pick for 2020”, according to Fowler. With the tagging period right around the corner, we should know a lot more soon. With Antonio Brown and the team reportedly softening their stances toward one another, it’s entirely plausible neither player ends up leaving the team after all this drama.

Latest On Antonio Brown

February 8th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We first heard earlier this week that Steelers receiver Antonio Brown had been involved in some sort of domestic dispute last month. Shortly after details came out, and Brown was accused of having shoved his daughter’s mother to the ground, with the NFL announcing they would investigate. Brown denied any wrongdoing, and today his attorney pushed back even further. Brown’s lawyer forcefully denied Brown did anything wrong, accusing the mother of being in the wrong in the situation regarding Brown’s daughter, and said Brown did not get violent in any way, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (Twitter link).

The lawyer also elaborated that Brown is now filing for custody of his daughter in court. It’s yet another dramatic chapter in the saga surrounding the Steelers, and while the situation is still very murky as of right now, we’ll almost certainly have more details soon.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 2/8/19

February 8th, 2019 at 4:53pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are the latest reserve/futures contract signings from around the NFL. These deals will go into effect on the first day of the 2019 league year, with players joining their respective clubs’ offseason 90-man rosters:

Los Angeles Rams

Pittsburgh Steelers

Poll: Will Antonio Brown Stay With Steelers?

February 8th, 2019 at 10:06am CST by Zachary Links

The Antonio Brown seems to get messier by the week. Throughout the year, Brown squabbled with coach Mike Tomlin and franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, resulting in a Week 17 meltdown and a trade demand. 

Obviously, from a talent perspective, there are 31 teams that would love to deal for Brown. However, his hefty contract complicates matters and the Steelers are not eager to trade one of the best wide receivers of all-time while taking on an astronomical cap hit. If the Steelers cut or trade Brown before June 1, the Steelers will incur more than $21MM in dead money on their salary cap and gain just over $1MM in new space. If he’s designated as a post-June 1 cut or traded after that date, Pittsburgh will take on roughly $7MM in dead money in 2019 and ~$14MM in 2020, which isn’t very palatable either.

Other teams may have reservations about Brown’s character as well. His well-publicized friction with Pittsburgh may be a red flag and, earlier this week, we learned that Brown was involved in a domestic dispute in January. The league is planning to investigate the incident and a suspension seems possible – that event will likely be taken into account along with other allegations, including an incident in Florida in which Brown was accused of throwing furniture off of a balcony.

Brown due a $2.5MM roster bonus on March 17, so the Steelers could look to deal him before that date. However, there are serious complications all around and the Steelers’ best bet may be to mend fences with the perennial Pro Bowler.

How do you see things playing out? Will Brown be a member of the Steelers in Week 1 of the 2019 season? Click below to cast your vote and let us know your thoughts in the comment section (link for app users):

Will Antonio Brown Stay With The Steelers?
No 72.24% (1,400 votes)
Yes 27.76% (538 votes)
Total Votes: 1,938

Steelers Notes: Brown, Klemm

February 6th, 2019 at 9:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Details of Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown‘s January domestic dispute have been released via a police report, as Andy Slater of the 640 The Hurricane tweets. Per the report from the Hollywood, Florida police department, Brown allegedly pushed the mother of his daughter to the ground. The woman was reportedly dropping off Brown’s daughter and requested reimbursement for the child’s recent hair appointment. As she blocked Brown from closing his front door, Brown allegedly used both hands to push her down. No arrest was made following the incident, and Brown’s attorney has refuted any wrongdoing on the part of the star wideout, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The NFL is planning to investigate the episode, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

  • The Steelers have hired Adrian Klemm as assistant offensive line coach, the club announced this week. Pittsburgh lost offensive line coach Mike Munchak to the Broncos earlier this offseason, and replaced him by promoting Shaun Sarrett from within. Klemm, 41, enjoyed a six-year playing career with the Patriots and Packers before joining the collegiate coaching ranks in 2006. Most recently, Klemm was the offensive line coach/run game coordinator at UCLA from 2012-16.

Antonio Brown Involved In Dispute

February 5th, 2019 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

Steelers star Antonio Brown was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute in January, according to TMZ. However, he was not arrested in connection with the incident. 

Last month in Florida, a woman made allegations of misconduct against Brown and phoned local police. Details are murky, but a person with the Hollywood Police Dept. confirmed to TMZ that “no arrests were made.”

This isn’t the first time Brown has been accused of poor off-the-field misconduct. Last year, Brown was sued by a man claiming that the wide receiver nearly killed his child by throwing furniture off of the balcony of his Florida home. Brown, meanwhile, said the man is lying and proclaimed his innocence.

Brown has pushed for a trade in recent weeks, but this latest news may hurt his value. Over the last few days, Brown reiterated his desire for a trade and has been ignoring calls from owner Art Rooney II.

Brown had another productive year in 2018, though he was overshadowed at times by rising star JuJu Smith-Schuster. The three years and $39MM left on his current deal may be a barrier to a trade and the cap hit the Steelers would have to absorb may be an even bigger barrier. Every team in the league would love to have Brown, but any deal would require a serious forfeiture of draft picks and a pricey commitment.

Now, the latest allegations against Brown could muddy the waters even further. Ultimately, the accusation could force to Brown to move forward with Pittsburgh, though fences will have to be mended between him and the organization.

Keith Butler Takes On Bigger Role

February 4th, 2019 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Steelers DC Keith Butler will assume more responsibility next season. The team will not replace Joey Porter as outside linebackers coach, instead having Butler directly oversee that position in addition to his defensive coordinator duties, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Butler, who will enter his fifth year as Pittsburgh’s DC after being the team’s linebackers coach for 12 years, joins OC Randy Fichtner in doubling as a position coach. Fichtner still coaches the Steelers’ quarterbacks.

Antonio Brown Reiterates Trade Demand; Latest On Bell, Shazier

February 3rd, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Rory Parks

For the past few weeks, it feels like we have been getting daily reports on the Antonio Brown saga in Pittsburgh, and the last several rumors we have heard on the matter have suggested that both sides may be open to continuing their relationship.

But Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports paints quite a different picture. He says that Brown has recently reiterated his trade demands via agent Drew Rosenhaus, and that Brown has refused to return calls from club owner Art Rooney II. Meanwhile, JLC reports that Brown has told his Pittsburgh teammates that he will never play for the Steelers again.

Brown has three years and $39MM left on his current contract, and despite this falling out with the Steelers, almost every team in the league would be happy to have him. He would prefer to be dealt to the 49ers, but the Steelers reportedly have no intention of allowing Brown to pursue a trade on his own. Instead, Pittsburgh will control the process, and team brass plans to talk to potential trade partners at the scouting combine in a few weeks. The Steelers of course prefer to trade Brown to an NFC club, and they will not deal him to one of their bigger AFC rivals. They also still hope to get at least a first-round pick for him.

Meanwhile, La Canfora writes that the Steelers still plan to put the transition tag on Le’Veon Bell, who sat out the entire 2018 season. That is in keeping with what we have been hearing for months, but it obviously does not mean that Bell will be back in Pittsburgh. It will simply be the precursor to a tag-and-trade scenario, and JLC names the Jets and Eagles as potential destinations. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms that the Steelers are contemplating the transition tag, and he even suggests that Bell could return to the Steelers, but that is difficult to fathom at this point.

Finally, La Canfora confirms what we have recently heard with respect to Ryan Shazier. Shazier’s rookie contract is up, and the team has indicated that it plans to re-sign him even though there is no chance he will be able to play in 2019, if ever. JLC says the two sides are working on a one-year pact, and that it will not take long for that to come to fruition.

Latest On Antonio Brown, Steelers

February 1st, 2019 at 5:42pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

For a while now it has seemed like Antonio Brown and the Steelers parting ways at some point this offseason is a foregone conclusion, but that might not be the case. When Steelers owner Art Rooney II spoke again last week he used a much softer and less definite tone, and now we have more reason to believe a reunion isn’t impossible. 

Brown made his first public appearance since this saga began yesterday from the Super Bowl, and in his brief comments he didn’t rule out returning to Pittsburgh, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Brown said he just wants to win, and emphasized that it “doesn’t matter where.” Brown didn’t elaborate much further but it’s interesting given the way Rooney publicly softened his stance recently.

“There has been contact between both sides, though it’s unclear whether Brown has spoken directly with Rooney”, Fowler writes. Sources told Fowler that Brown is “open to thriving in a new offense if that’s the path the Steelers choose”, which seems to suggest Brown isn’t demanding a trade. As Fowler points out, Brown has solely communicated through social media since the season ended up until this point, so these comments are significant.

It was also reported just a few days ago that the relationship remains solid between Brown and some members of the front office. For a while it seemed like the bridge had been burned, and if he does return it’ll definitely take a lot of work from Mike Tomlin to mend things in the locker room. Brown coming back to the Steelers is clearly picking up some steam, but there’s still plenty of time for things to reverse course yet again.

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