Maveric

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I don't remember him ever being this dramatic before this year, but he sure as hell has cranked up the diva dial now.

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown "went off" on a teammate and skipped multiple meetings and practices before and after the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, a team source confirmed to ESPN on Monday.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported Brown elected to sit out practices after the heated dispute, and the Steelers' decision not to play him against the Bengals had nothing to do with a knee injury. The report said Brown became "disgusted" and threw a football in anger at one of his teammates during a walk-through, citing several sources.

A source told ESPN that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was involved in the incident with Brown, but this wasn't a head-to-head clash, and more of Brown flaming up like he has in the past. The source added that it didn't appear Brown threw a football directly at the quarterback.

Brown got upset that Roethlisberger wanted to run a hot read over again during a walk-through, so coaches sent another player to run the play, a source close to the situation told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Brown got upset, left practice and talked with Roethlisberger afterward, telling the quarterback that he felt underappreciated and had issues with people in the organization, the source told Schefter.

Brown left and wouldn't respond to the Steelers, including team president Art Rooney II, the source said.

Brown was seen talking with teammate Darrius Heyward-Bey on Thursday in the locker room but wasn't present the rest of the week or during Monday's exit meetings.

The Steelers did not have official comment on the matter, but coach Mike Tomlin -- who said Brown missed late-week practices with a knee injury -- is expected to address the media Wednesday for his previously scheduled end-of-season news conference.

Some Steelers players thought it was odd that Brown showed up and walked onto the field pregame in a large, multicolored coat instead of Steelers gear.

"It's a difficult situation," one player said. "It's hard to know what to think. This is the stuff that's hard to deal with."

Something was up during the week, as several players and coaches were blunt when asked about Brown.

"I'm not going to answer any questions about Antonio. Next," offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said.

Tomlin told reporters Friday that Brown was experiencing knee discomfort coming out of the Week 16 game against the New Orleans Saints and would undergo tests.

Brown finished the season with 104 catches for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. He has an NFL-record six consecutive 100-catch seasons.

Brown and team MVP JuJu Smith-Schuster became the first duo in the modern NFL era to record matching 100-catch, 1,200-yard seasons.

But Brown's Week 17 absence punctuates a bizarre year for the All-Pro. Brown has threatened a reporter over a story he didn't like, became incensed on the sidelines during a Week 2 loss, responded on social media to a critique from a former Steelers employee with the line "Trade me let's find out" and faced lawsuits over allegations he threw furniture over the 14th-floor balcony of a South Florida apartment balcony.
 

SixisBetter

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argument was with roethlesberger ?

Yes, according to reports. Seems to be a lot of strife on that team.
Could it be the most overrated HC and QB in the league?
Could it be Tomlin seems to let the players settle their slap fights among themselves, then gets rid of the loser?
Whatever it is, it's hilarious.
 

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Ben Roethlisberger: If there was an Antonio Brown blowout, I didn't see it

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he has no issue with Antonio Brown and saw no foul behavior from the All-Pro receiver last week.

"If there was a blowout, I certainly didn't see it," Roethlisberger said Tuesday during his weekly radio appearance with 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh.

A source said Brown "went off" on a teammate during the week and missed multiple practices and meetings before and after Sunday's win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger did not have their normal chemistry this season. Ten of Roethlisberger's league-worst 16 interceptions came on passes targeting Brown, their most in a season as Steelers teammates.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported that Brown threw a football in the direction of a teammate and that Brown was not hurt despite the team listing him on the injury report with a knee issue, making him inactive for the season finale.

A source said Roethlisberger was involved in the incident with Brown, but it was little more than Brown flaring up, as he has in the past.

A source close to the situation told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Brown was upset about being asked to run a hot read again during a walk-through and later told Roethlisberger he felt underappreciated.

Roethlisberger told the radio show he talked to Brown on Thursday morning and "everything was great," but he understands the frustration expressed by teammates -- himself included -- who reached out and couldn't get a hold of Brown later in the week.

Brown was seen around the facility Thursday but wasn't present for that day's practice, Friday's workday or Monday's exit meetings.

Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown "went off" on a teammate last week and skipped multiple meetings and practices, a team source confirmed.

Roethlisberger called the magnitude of the story "baffling" based on what really happened.

"I'm blessed to play with him," he said. "I consider him one of my closer friends. ... Each guy has to answer that question [about welcoming him back to the locker room]. I know guys are frustrated, some of the guys I talked to, that they tried to reach out to him and didn't hear back."

Roethlisberger said coach Mike Tomlin made the decision "right before the game" that Brown wasn't playing.

Tomlin will address the media Wednesday at noon ET.

Brown enters the third year of a five-year, $72.7 million extension in 2019.

"I hope he's back here with me because he makes me better," Roethlisberger said.
 

Maveric

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Sounds like a rather unconvincing attempt at damage control...
 

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Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports Antonio Brown has requested a trade.

Per La Canfora, Brown is not "demanding" to be traded, though there's no question the diva wide receiver wants out of the Steel City. This comes on the heels of a report that AB was benched for the team's season finale following a practice dispute with Ben Roethlisberger (the quarterback feigned ignorance when asked about it on his weekly radio spot), prompting him to go AWOL for the next several days. While Brown hasn't always been the happiest of campers in Pittsburgh, this is his first known trade request and perhaps a tipping point for the Steelers, who have tolerated his antics with minimal repercussions for years. La Canfora believes ownership is unlikely to accommodate him, though Brown's standing with the Steelers will be a story to follow throughout the offseason.
 

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SixisBetter

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I bet Ju-Ju likes this shit.
Also, Ben is entering the Favre phase of his career, wherein he no longer has stinky shit, he's the master of all he surveys, and he can throw the ball as far as anyone as long as your not too particular about who catches it.
Still hilarious.
 

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Steelers' Antonio Brown out of Pro Bowl; JuJu Smith-Schuster in

6:26 PM CT

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Antonio Brown will miss his second consecutive game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers receiver -- who sparked trade conversation after missing the Steelers' season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals -- will be replaced by teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster in the Pro Bowl, according to the team, which cited Brown's injury in a release.

Brown was listed with a knee injury on the Week 17 practice report but skipped the Saturday walkthrough, so coach Mike Tomlin benched him for the game.

Tomlin said at an end-of-year news conference that Brown left the team in its "darkest hour," as the 9-6-1 Steelers needed a win to keep slim playoff hopes alive.

Brown "went off" in a team setting during the week, according to a source, and teammates were frustrated by his subsequent absence.

Brown led the NFL with 15 touchdown receptions, and he had 104 catches for 1,297 yards.

Teammates named Smith-Schuster the team's Most Valuable Player after he caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns.
 
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