Steelers Say Antonio Brown Hasn’t Requested Trade
On Tuesday, we received conflicting word on whether Antonio Brown has requested a trade from the Steelers. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike Tomlin says that Brown has not requested a trade. 
Of course, if Brown did request a trade, it wouldn’t behoove the Steelers to confirm that’s the case. What is clear, however, is that Tomlin is angry with his star receiver. Tomlin explained that Brown was benched on Sunday against the Bengals after failing to report to the team on Saturday. When asked if he thought Brown quit on the Steelers, Tomlin said, “You can call it what you want to call it,” (via ESPN.com).
“The bottom line is we were playing a significant game and he didn’t do a good enough job of communicating or being available in the hours leading up to that performance,” Tomlin said. “Obviously, there are some things within that you can infer.”
Brown signed a four-year, $68MM extension with the Steelers in 2017 and has been playing at a Hall of Fame level for several years. This year, JuJu Smith-Schuster took a giant leap forward and the two players formed a top-tier tandem. With three seasons to go on Brown’s deal, the Steelers are probably not inclined to trade him, and the wide receiver could very well cool off in the coming weeks.
Even Tomlin, who is clearly annoyed, wants to get things worked out.
“There’s disappointment, there’s no denying that,” said Tomlin about his history with Brown. “On a personal level, man, I’ve just learned over the course of time, forget my personal feelings. Or the challenges that come with the position. I don’t spend a lot of time focused on that. I better not.”
Brown, 31 in July, had 104 catches for 1,297 yards plus a career-high 15 touchdowns. Those numbers put him in the Pro Bowl, but they’re actually a step back from his finest work, which includes 1,500+ yards in 2017 and 1,800+ yards in 2015. Brown was an All-Pro every year from 2014-2017, but was unable to make the cut this year.
No Trade Request Made By Antonio Brown?
Despite a report indicating otherwise on Tuesday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has not requested a trade from the Steelers. Rapoport hears that Brown is frustrated, but has not made an actual request to get out of Pittsburgh. 
After Brown’s practice blowup on Wednesday, he yelled, “I’m done,” according to Rapoport. Then, he posited aloud that the Steelers should trade him. Rapoport’s understanding is that Brown was venting in frustration and any talks of him actually looking for a trade are premature, at best.
Brown signed a four-year, $68MM extension with the Steelers in 2017 and has been playing at a Hall of Fame level for several years. This year, JuJu Smith-Schuster took a giant leap forward and the two players formed a top-tier tandem. With three seasons to go on Brown’s deal, the Steelers are probably not inclined to trade him, and the wide receiver could very well cool off in the coming weeks.
Steelers’ Antonio Brown Requests Trade
[UPDATE: Brown Has Not Made Actual Trade Request, According To NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport]
Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has requested a trade, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Brown did not demand a trade, per day, but he has asked to be dealt, JLC hears.
Brown’s request does not automatically mean that he will be traded, of course. La Canfora believes it’s very unlikely that owner Art Rooney II will give in, so the Steelers could be in for a long standoff with a star offensive player for yet another year.
The Steelers, for the most part, have operated as a well-oiled machine. However, things have fallen apart as of late. The team’s relationship with running back Le’Veon Bell took a strange turn in 2017 and, ultimately, led to a year-long holdout in 2018. Meanwhile, Brown has been at odds with several key figures in the organization, including head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Recently, Brown tossed a ball at the QB’s feet during a walkthrough and stormed out of the building. Brown did not play in Week 17, and we now know that his absence was not injury-related.
Tomlin and Big Ben are well-aligned and Brown feels that the two are a bit too well-aligned, JLC hears. Obviously, there are issues for all three men to figure out, but the good news is that they have plenty of time to mend fences between now and the start of the 2019 season.
Brown, 31 in July, had 104 catches for 1,297 yards plus a career-high 15 touchdowns. Those numbers put him in the Pro Bowl, but they’re actually a step back from his finest work, which includes 1,500+ yards in 2017 and 1,800+ yards in 2015. Brown was an All-Pro every year from 2014-2017, but was unable to make the cut this year.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/31/18
New Year’s Eve marks the first day eliminated teams can sign players to reserve/futures contracts. Here is the first wave of those decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- OL Justin Evans
- OL Will House
- QB Chad Kanoff
- CB Jonathan Moxey
- CB Deatrick Nichols
- LB Pete Robertson
- OL Coleman Shelton
- RB Brandon Wilds
Atlanta Falcons
- QB Kurt Benkert
- WR Christian Blake
- CB Taveze Calhoun
- LB Jermaine Grace
- TE Jaeden Graham
- TE Alex Gray
- WR Devin Gray
- OL Sean Harlow
- DL Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
Carolina Panthers
- T Isaiah Battle
- DB Quin Blanding
- RB Reggie Bonnafon
- LB Brandon Chubb
- DT Woodrow Hamilton
- WR Andre Levrone
- DB Cole Luke
- DB Kai Nacua
- DT Elijah Qualls
- G Ian Silberman
- G Landon Turner
- WR DeAndrew White
- LB Antwione Williams
Detroit Lions
- WR Deontez Alexander
- LB Garret Dooley
- S David Jones
- OL Jarron Jones
- DE Jonathan Wynn
Green Bay Packers
- TE Evan Baylis
- DL Eric Cotton
- T Gerhard de Beer
- G Anthony Coyle
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- S Tray Matthews
- WR Teo Redding
- LB Brady Sheldon
- DL Deon Simon
- S Jason Thompson
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Jeff Badet
- LB Reshard Cliett
- DL Curtis Cothran
- DB Jalen Myrick
- RB Roc Thomas
New York Giants
Pittsburgh Steelers
- WR Trey Griffey
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- T Cole Boozer
- WR K.J. Brent
- DE Demone Harris
- G Ruben Holcomb
- DE Farrington Huguenin
- DE Patrick O’Connor
- RB Dare Ogunbowale
- LB Emmanuel Smith
Tennessee Titans
- RB Dalyn Dawkins
- OL Jamil Douglas
- CB Mike Jordan
- WR Roger Lewis
- OLB Gimel President
- OL David Quessenberry
- WR Kalif Raymond
- WR Devin Ross
- S Damon Webb
Washington Redskins
- C Casey Dunn
- WR Carlos Henderson
- T Roubbens Joseph
- WR ArDarius Stewart
- RB Elijah Wellman
- DT JoJo Wicker
Latest On Antonio Brown, Steelers
The player with whom Brown got into a heated disagreement at Wednesday’s Steelers practice was indeed Ben Roethlisberger, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reports (on Twitter).
Brown tossed a ball at Roethlisberger’s feet and walked out of a walkthrough, per Kaboly. This was a “fairly ugly” incident, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (Twitter link), with Brown being viewed as the party in the wrong. The 30-year-old wideout went off over a specific (and, as of yet, unspecified) issue, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets, and has not been in the Steelers’ building in days. Roethlisberger and Brown argued, with Fowler noting Brown was the primary arguer.
It’s now believed he missed Sunday’s game against the Bengals because of this turmoil and not a knee injury.
While some of Brown’s teammates were surprised he showed up with the intention of playing Sunday, after missing meetings and a walkthrough Saturday, NFL.com’s Aditi Kinkhabwala reports (video link) others in the organization expected him to play Sunday. She confirms the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s report of Brown leaving Heinz Field at halftime.
This situation affected the Steelers’ effort in Week 17, per Kinkhabwala, who adds Brown did not show up for the Steelers’ exit meeting Monday. Mike Tomlin apparently did not address Brown’s issues today, per Kinkhabwala.
Antonio Brown’s Week 17 Absence Not Injury-Related?
The Steelers and Antonio Brown have experienced problems in the recent past, and another appears to have cropped up.
The four-time All-Pro wide receiver was involved in an evidently significant dispute with an unnamed teammate, and that — and not an injury — caused him to miss Sunday’s season finale, Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.
Brown and this teammate’s confrontation occurred Wednesday, and the receiver threw a football at this player, per the Pittsburgh duo. Brown skipped the Steelers’ Saturday walkthrough, and a team meeting, and left Sunday’s game at halftime, with Bouchette and Dulac reporting Brown surprised teammates by showing up at Heinz Field expecting to play. He did not practice last week, but several Steelers sources said Brown’s knee was not an issue.
Brown showing up Sunday with the intention to play surprised several teammates, and one source informed the Post-Gazette tandem it was the 30-year-old pass-catcher’s decision not to practice during the week. Brown was initially listed as absent from practice due to to a coach’s decision, before “knee” was added to subsequent injury reports.
Brown’s recent issues go back a bit. Brown also skipped a meeting prior to the Steelers’ pivotal Saints matchup, with Bouchette and Dulac reporting he was in the building where the meeting took place but skipped the actual meeting. The Steelers beat the Bengals on Sunday, but only by three points. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Two seasons ago, Brown ran into trouble for streaming Mike Tomlin‘s divisional-round victory address on Facebook Live. This year, he responded to a former Steelers employee’s perceived social media slight by tweeting “Trade me let’s find out” regarding how valuable he is to Pittsburgh.
Brown signed a four-year, $68MM extension with the Steelers in 2017. He and JuJu Smith-Schuster have formed an elite receiving tandem, with Brown scoring 15 touchdowns in 15 games and Smith Schuster taking a big leap from his rookie year and leading the Steelers in receiving. Three seasons remain on Brown’s contract.
Dolphins, Packers Request To Interview Steelers’ Mike Munchak
Mike Munchak was part of the 2018 coaching carousel but opted to stay on as the Steelers’ offensive line coach. A demand for meetings with the longtime assistant and former head coach has increased this year.
After the Broncos requested an interview with Munchak, two more teams — the Dolphins and Packers — have joined this pursuit, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter).
Denver has received permission to meet with Munchak, per 9News’ Mike Klis (on Twitter). The five-year Steelers O-line coach will consider the Broncos’ job, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (video link). Munchak, 58, backed out of the Cardinals’ HC search last year.
Munchak served as the Titans’ coach from 2011-13 and has overseen one of the NFL’s best offensive lines in recent years. Pittsburgh’s front helped turn Le’Veon Bell into a star and James Conner into a quickly capable replacement while also aiding Ben Roethlisberger to four straight Pro Bowls and a 2018 5,000-yard season.
Steelers WR Antonio Brown Won’t Play Today
The Steelers need a lot to go right today if they have any hope of making the postseason. Unfortunately, they’ll have to play today’s key game without their star wideout. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that receiver Antonio Brown is inactive for today’s game against the Bengals.
Brown missed several practices this week, and he was listed as questionable with a knee injury. The 30-year-old also underwent tests on the knee, with the injury ultimately keeping him out of his first game of the season. Brown was having another standout season for Pittsburgh, hauling in 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. Of course, the Steelers still shouldn’t have a tough time against a Bengals team that has allowed the third-most passing yards in the NFL, especially with Ben Roethlisberger and JuJu Smith-Schuster still leading the passing attack.
While Brown is out for today’s game, Schefter reports that the Steelers will have running back James Conner. The 23-year-old hasn’t played since early December as he recovered from an ankle injury. In 12 games this season, Conner’s compiled 909 rushing yards and 12 rushing scores on 201 carries. He’s also added another 52 receptions for 467 yards and one touchdown.
The Steelers need more than a win today over the Bengals if they want to make the playoffs. Rather, they’ll also need the Ravens to lose to the Browns. Pittsburgh could also make the playoffs with a tie and a Ravens’ loss.
Steelers Could Make Staff Changes
- It’s been a frustrating year for the Steelers, and despite some fans and media types calling for Mike Tomlin’s removal, the 12th year head coach isn’t going anywhere, according to Rapoport. That being said, Rapoport writes there could be a staff shakeup, and defensive coordinator Keith Butler could be on his way out, while “several assistants could be changed out” as well.
Antonio Brown Undergoing Knee Tests
As the Steelers enter their must-win (plus-help-required) Week 17 scenario, their best player is not certain to be available. Antonio Brown missed three practices this week and is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Bengals. The four-time All-Pro is undergoing tests on his injured knee, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Brown has not missed a game this season. While Pittsburgh would be favored to beat Cincinnati at home without Brown, two-time reigning AFC North champions have not exactly been bastions of consistency this season or in recent years. The Steelers can clinch their fifth straight playoff berth with a win and a Ravens home loss to the Browns.