Steelers’ Brown addresses media
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Antonio Brown answered questions from a mob of Pittsburgh reporters Thursday, and it was an anxious mob that literally raced into the locker room at the start of the noon session because of the following incidents by Brown:
1. Threw two televised sideline tantrums during the loss to Kansas City, one a few seconds before James Conner无毛视频檚 third-quarter touchdown tied the game at 28-28 and the other a few seconds before the fourth-quarter safety pulled the Steelers to within 42-30.
2. Normally a slow dresser, Brown left the locker room in a huff without answering questions from the media.
3. Responded Monday to a former Steelers employee无毛视频檚 tweet 无毛视频� that Brown should be happy he has Ben Roethlisberger 无毛视频� with his own tweet of 无毛视频淭rade me let无毛视频檚 find out.无毛视频�
4. Skipped Monday无毛视频檚 mandatory team film review, and Mike Tomlin told reporters Wednesday that Brown had been disciplined.
The last incident was worthy of in-house discipline, but the first incident could be construed as selfishness that opposed team goals.
But Brown insisted that wasn无毛视频檛 the case.
无毛视频淲e were losing the game,无毛视频� he said of his first blow-up, also called 无毛视频渁 passionate conversation无毛视频� by the CBS sideline reporter.
无毛视频淲e were getting beat by 40 and we haven无毛视频檛 won a game yet,无毛视频� Brown continued. 无毛视频淔or me, as a Steeler, that无毛视频檚 unacceptable. I无毛视频檓 not on the sideline begging for the ball, making statements like you guys make. I无毛视频檓 pissed off. We无毛视频檙e losing. We suck.无毛视频�
Brown was criticized by media after the game for assuming the receiver was upset about his statistics as Conner was on the verge of tying the game. The play-by-play announcer then reported that Brown 无毛视频渏ust tossed his helmet,无毛视频� right before Conner went in for the score.
无毛视频淵ou guys make assumptions about my emotions,无毛视频� Brown continued. 无毛视频淵ou guys don无毛视频檛 know me at all. You guys just write what you think will get hits. Between me and you, everyone in this locker room knows what I stand for, knows what I无毛视频檓 about. I无毛视频檓 committed to this program, this organization. I无毛视频檓 fully here. I go to work every day. Go about my business. And I don无毛视频檛 take it for granted. My business is winning here. I come here to win. When we ain无毛视频檛 winning, you无毛视频檙e damn right I无毛视频檓 pissed off.无毛视频�
Later, Brown was picked up by the CBS camera having a heated conversation with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. A week before, Brown had hugged Browns offensive coordinator 无毛视频� and former Steelers coordinator 无毛视频� Todd Haley during the game in Cleveland. So Brown was asked if he无毛视频檚 upset with the change of coordinators and perhaps the new offense.
无毛视频淚 never yelled at Randy. We just talked,无毛视频� Brown said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e got a great relationship with Randy. Randy无毛视频檚 the reason I无毛视频檓 here. He recruited me (in college). So if you see me in his face talking, that无毛视频檚 just because we have that type of respect for each other where I can talk to him like that. We know each other on that type of level. It无毛视频檚 no disrespect. You ask Randy what I无毛视频檓 saying, I无毛视频檓 saying winning. But obviously I无毛视频檓 misunderstood. You guys wouldn无毛视频檛 have a clue.无毛视频�
Fichtner was asked.
无毛视频淭he truth is I don无毛视频檛 know exactly what all was said, and that无毛视频檚 how I never really thought much about it,无毛视频� Fichtner said. 无毛视频淚t never hit me like 无毛视频極h, man, that might无毛视频檝e been something that might无毛视频檝e been an issue that someone would notice.无毛视频�
无毛视频淎B will say a lot of things in games,无毛视频� Fichtner added. 无毛视频淚 know I say a lot of things in games. I would assume it had everything to do with him just being competitive.无毛视频�
At the time of Brown无毛视频檚 first blow-up, the Steelers were in the process of scoring their fourth touchdown on four consecutive series. After the tantrum, the Steelers were blanked on two series as the Chiefs put the game away.
Fichtner was asked if Brown无毛视频檚 tantrum hurt the team.
无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 know,无毛视频� Fichtner said after pausing for thought. 无毛视频淭o be honest, I don无毛视频檛 know the answer to that question. Like I said, if it was actually just he and I, then how did it affect the rest of the group? I don无毛视频檛 know. I don无毛视频檛 feel like it did.无毛视频�
Brown has been thrown 33 passes this season (18 catches), the most in the NFL. But he insists his in-game eruptions have nothing to do with statistics.
无毛视频淪tats depend on the team,无毛视频� Brown said. 无毛视频淚 can无毛视频檛 throw it and catch it myself. It无毛视频檚 a team game. I无毛视频檝e got to depend on Ben (Roethlisberger). I无毛视频檝e got to depend on the O-line. I无毛视频檝e got to depend on the running back. I无毛视频檝e got to depend on the other guys to do their job so I can make stats. Our business is winning. We don无毛视频檛 win, nobody cares about your stats. I无毛视频檓 here trying to win. When you see me talking on the sideline to Randy Fichtner, you ask me what I无毛视频檓 saying. I无毛视频檓 ready to win. But to you guys, it无毛视频檚 always spun as, 无毛视频楢w, yeah, he无毛视频檚 selfish,无毛视频� because maybe he do got big stats.无毛视频� That无毛视频檚 what it is. It无毛视频檚 all about winning. If guys don无毛视频檛 want to win here, then send me home.无毛视频�
Which brings us to Incident 3. Why did Brown tweet 无毛视频淭rade me无毛视频�?
无毛视频淚t was a guy who used to work here, a PR guy who actually picked me up to even be here, took a personal shot at me,无毛视频� Brown said. 无毛视频淥bviously I don无毛视频檛 want to be traded. I无毛视频檓 still grateful to put on my uniform. I无毛视频檓 grateful to be a part of this organization. I don无毛视频檛 take that for granted. Obviously it was a stupid remark online. I just have to stay away from online distractions and letting people get me out of my character. It无毛视频檚 just sad for a guy who worked here numerous years to say what he thinks. Obviously it无毛视频檚 a team game. My success does depend on Roethlisberger, the offensive line, and all the other receivers doing their job. But as a competitor, I take this (stuff) serious. This isn无毛视频檛 just a game to me and cashing checks. The money doesn无毛视频檛 matter. I look at my assignments and my performance. That means a lot to me. When I go in, I weigh in on that, my family weighs in on that. So to me, guys who just think they can disrespect me, it无毛视频檚 out of order.无毛视频�
Was that the reason Brown blew off work Monday?
无毛视频淧ersonal reasons,无毛视频� Brown said. 无毛视频淥bviously, the coach knew where I was at. We talked.无毛视频�
It无毛视频檚 unclear why Tomlin would无毛视频檝e disciplined Brown (reportedly a fine) if Brown informed him of his personal reason. No one asked Brown that question. Nor did anyone ask him why, if he无毛视频檚 so crazed about winning, he wasn无毛视频檛 screaming at the defensive coordinator instead.
Perhaps Brown would无毛视频檝e flashed the old smile that has been his trademark.
Perhaps he would无毛视频檝e been amused at that question.
And no one doubts he无毛视频檒l be at his competitive peak on Monday night.
NOTES: David DeCastro (hand) missed Thursday无毛视频檚 practice after leaving Wednesday无毛视频檚 practice in pain after the second snap. He remains hopeful of playing Monday night. 无毛视频� Ramon Foster (back) returned to practice, but Marcus Gilbert (hamstring) remained out and Maurkice Pouncey was given the day off. 无毛视频� CB Joe Haden (hamstring) returned to practice and said he feels much better this week and expects to play Monday.