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The Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted a lot of successful wide receivers since the late ’90s, including Antonio Brown.
His connection with Ben Roethlisberger during his nine seasons with the Steelers helped them become one of football’s best offenses. But that connection ran into some problems near the end of Brown’s time in Pittsburgh, including an argument between the two that led to Brown’s skipping practices and being held out of a game.
Now, Brown says he regrets the issues he had with Roethlisberger.
“I love Ben. I was probably so hurt at that time I just blocked his number,” Brown said February 24 on VladTV. “I made a life, changed my life as a player, coming into my own with Ben. First time I ever hit the starting lineup, Big Ben told Bruce Arians, ‘Yo I need AB at the X’, so I don’t think I ever had a problem with Ben, man.
“Me and Ben made some of the greatest football history moments of my life — you know, my kids grew up seeing it,” Brown said. “It sparked some of the greatness in my life. I feel like the media tried to create a war between us, but, man, I feel like me and Ben’s IQ is so much the same. Sometimes I ran and created routes and he’d throw me the ball. We had that relationship. The media makes it what it is, but I got nothing but love and joy for Ben.”
A Dominant Run With the Steelers
Roethlisberger and Brown had a ton of success during their time together in Pittsburgh, from 2010 to 2018. Along with Le’Veon Bell, the “Killer B’s” were one of the best offenses in football.
In nine seasons with the Steelers, Brown led the league in receiving yards in 2014 and 2017 and receptions in 2014 and 2015 and earned first-team All-Pro honors four times and seven Pro Bowl nods. He also finished in the top three of Offensive Player of the Year voting in 2014, 2015 and 2017. In total, he had 837 catches for 11,207 yards and 74 touchdowns.
Hs time in Pittsburgh didn’t have a happy ending as he ended up forcing his way off the team in 2019.
After Brown Left
Brown’s career took a strange path after he left the Steelers.
After Brown requested a trade during the 2019 offseason, the Steelers dealt him to the Raiders.
His time in Oakland was a mess. He missed most of training camp because of frostbite on his feet stemming from a cryotherapy session. Brown then had very public issues with the team’s GM that eventually led to him being released before he played a snap for the team.
Brown signed with the Patriots the same day he was released by the Raiders. His stay in New England was also short lived.
He appeared in just one game before off-field issues led to him once again being released.
Those issues kept him off the field for the rest of the season and led to him being suspended for the first eight games of the 2020 season.
During his suspension, Brown reunited with Tom Brady and former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians in Tampa Bay.
They went on to win the Super Bowl that season.
In 2021, Brown ran off the field during a Week 17 matchup against the Jets, marking the end of his time in the NFL.
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