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BC

The Culture of the Pittsburgh Steelers

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This situation is obviously pretty unique. This Steelers group has become a really weird and slightly ghetto one with the whole Tomlin, Big Ben, Antonio Brown, Leveon Bell situation. The list of incidents is getting really long with the whole locker-room private meeting getting on Facebook Live, Tomlin intentionally trying to trip up the Ravens punt returner, Ben having moments of acting a bit less than professional, AB not appreciating Ben skipping OTA's preventing the two increasing their chemistry on the field, and now Antonio quitting on the Steelers at the end of the season. Randy Moss walked off the field early once but that instance wasn't really with playoffs on the line and a Lombardi possible. 

Brown is obviously too good to move. We were all talking about a possible Steelers super bowl with what JuJu's ascension adds to the team how well they replaced Leveon and they beat the Patriots with an amazing defensive performance. The team seems too good to break up and return to rebuilding mode, but then again, isn't the game of football one where you have to love and respect the heck out of one another as a team in order to lay it all out there for the guy next to you? It seems hard to have that extra spark to go the distance. Why would any of the players show up to OTA's after all this adversity and drama flares up again? How do you trust Tomlin in this situation as a player? Finding a replacement coach is risky because then you have a big learning curve for the new offense. 

Maybe Bill Cowher could come out of retirement and save this generation of the franchise? Or Bruce Arians? What a mess. As much as I want a winnable game for the Hawks next year when we travel to their house, its better for the NFL and the ratings if the Steelers can be as good as they've been the last 15 years to have more intriguing weeks of football, and I find them to be a highly entertaining team. 

 

Edited by BC
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So apparently... as I was typing this Mike Tomlin was doing an interview on player conduct. I have no link to that and don't know who it was for or with, like what network or whatever. Someone come through in the clutch and hook it up. 

But anyhow... Antonio Brown went over to James Harrison's place and the two of them were apparently were in the mood to stir some more shit up, so they went ahead and made this video which they posted to Antonio Brown's instagram. 

The Antonio Brown drama deepens. James Harrison, the legendary linebacker for Pittsburgh, appeared with star wide receiver Antonio Brown in an Instagram video. The two were watching a Mike Tomlin press conference and had some interesting words for viewers. 

 

The video comes after a post by Harrison on Instagram that seemingly takes a dig at Mike Tomlin and the Steelers' organization for putting up with Brown's antics up to this point. 

 

While it's hard to say whether Harrison is alluding to the AB Steelers situation, I mean... how could it not?

Harrison knows the Steelers better than anyone else, spending nearly 15 years with the franchise. Harrison had played under Mike Tomlin since the 2007 season.

Going by Harrison's post, the Steelers can only blame themselves for the drama. More and more evidence is coming out this week to suggest that Brown is a bit of an egomaniac. 

After skipping practice this week and Pittsburgh benching Brown for their Week 17 matchup, Ryan Clark (a former defensive back for the Steelers) told ESPN a bizarre story that foreshadows the drama taking place now.

From all accounts, the Steelers let the problem grow and fester without confronting the star wide receiver. 

 

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https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/01/twitter-reacts-to-mike-tomlins-explanation-of-the-antonio-brown-mess

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin addressed the evolving Antonio Brown situation for the first time since an explosive reportrevealed that Brown was involved in an altercation with QB Ben Roethlisberger last week and went AWOL on the team.

Brown did not play in Week 17 and Tomlin had reported leading up to the game that Brown was suffering from a knee issue – but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Brown missed the final game of the year after skipping multiple Steelers practices and meetings leading up to a must-win game. Roethlisberger has since downplayed the reported incident with Brown, but the situation has sparked speculation over Brown’s future with the team.

As Tomlin detailed his interactions with Brown during Week 17, the wide receiver posted an interesting quote on Twitter, then curiously followed the 49ers on Instagram. You can watch Tomlin’s entire press conference here.

Tomlin said that “it became difficult to communicate” with Brown on Friday evening and Saturday. Tomlin heard from Brown’s agent on Sunday, who informed the coach that Brown was “feeling better,” but the Steelers had already decided not to play Brown.

[media]

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Edited by BC

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The Steelers coach wouldn't directly say that the receiver bailed on teammates, but was clearly disturbed by the lack of communication with Brown in the days leading up to the Week 17 tilt and in the aftermath of Pittsburgh being eliminated from playoff contention.

"When we're talking about the darkest hour, we're talking about playing to win a game and needing other dominoes to fall for us to be in the tournament and the guy not communicating -- that is a real element of discussion, certainly," he said.

Tomlin was asked if Brown quit on his teammates.

"You can describe it in whatever ways you want to describe it," he responded. "There was a lack of communication there that can lead to thoughts and things in that nature that can go many directions. Bottom line is we're 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, so we needed to make decisions pertinent to getting prepared to play in that performance. I've been really clear about outlining what transpired, the level of communication and things of that nature so obviously there's some things within that you can infer, certainly."

Tomlin attempted to clarify the timeline of Brown injury and being ruled out of Sunday's contest.

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Blotsfan' #HotTake:

If the beef between AB and Ben can't be resolved, the Steelers should choose Brown and either start Rudolph or get Teddy/Tannehill.*

 

*There is a zero percent chance that this happens. 

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By all account, Antonio Brown is a diva. I mean all WR's are, but he takes it to such an extreme I have to wonder if it can be allowed to work anymore. Most people are only focused on number 1, that much is true, but you don't let a WR dictate terms for the franchise, you don't let a egomaniac run a team who isn't the head coach, because at least the head coach is held accountable for his slip ups and failures. If I was Mike Tomlin I'd stop trying to apologize for Browns actions and start the smear campaign that is the truth. Let it be known to Brown, and the other people on the team perhaps thinking along the same lines that these sorts of actions won't be tolerated. And if you need to trade him away, you do that.

But Mike TOmlin isn't that sort of coach, and he'll be gone when Ben retires, or the year after.

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Ben seems like a bigger diva than Brown. Remember when he trashed his receivers after he had a bad game this year?

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Did you guys actually find that Antonio Brown announcement on the internet somewhere? Mind sharing? Here's all I can find on the situation today: https://profootballtalk.nbcsp...-sparked-antonio-browns-ire/ ...

....wow

Quote

“He was unreal in New Orleans, we still lost, and the vote comes out and it’s JuJu,” the unnamed source told Breer. “So [Brown] shows up for work, he’s not voted MVP, he’s in a bad way, and that carried over into the walkthrough.”

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports that Brown wanted to see whether the Steelers would thrive without him, and whether Smith-Schuster would perform at a high level without Brown on the field to draw attention away from the second-year player.

Edited by BC

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Why the hell did it matter to AB who was voted team MVP? My god. 
 

They've got their replacement WR in Juju. Guys like Brown are cancers. Get rid of him. 

Clearly the Steelers aren't going to get rid of Mike Tomlin, but it's time to be a disciplinarian again. These guys are ridiculous. The Steelers are so careless. I mean, they had a guy celebrating a first down he didn't really even come close to in New Orleans. Dancing around like a putz. 

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Mark Schlereth, a guy who has gotten plenty of insight from players who have played for Mike Tomlin gave this interview and this pretty much can seal anyone's opinion that Mike Tomlin hasn't really played his cards right and has a long road to change the culture. This sucks. Why would Ben want to procrastinate retiring if he knows he can't have his top gun on board anymore. This is sad. 

 

Edited by BC

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http://rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5698/antonio-brown

Speaking Thursday, Steelers owner Art Rooney II said he was open to trading Antonio Brown, and that it was "hard to envision" him being with the team in 2019.
Rooney said that the only thing not on the table was releasing Brown. The Steelers are not going to give Brown away, but their intentions could not be more clear. The de facto deadline is March 17, when Brown is due a $2.5 million roster bonus. Whatever happened to cause Brown's Week 17 deactivation was the breaking point of a years-long accumulation of events. The best receiver in football turns 31 in July. Despite 2018's ugly turn, he will be in high demand.

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I could see the Rams not giving a shit about the attitude and signing him. Same with the Bengals or Browns. If I traded for him I'd probably treat him like shit though and not at all be afraid to release him the second he gets a major injury. 

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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25760587/jerry-rice-antonio-brown-wants-san-francisco-49ers-really-bad

Jerry Rice giving insight that Antonio Brown really wants to be a Sf 49er. Why would anyone wanna be a 49er? John Clayton weighed in on this just now on his radio show I listen to every morning. He doesn't think giving up the #2 overall pick (which is what the 49ers have) would be a very good deal. He mentioned the fact that Oakland is a real possibility given the fact that the Raiders have 3 picks in the first round. Makes sense to me other than the fact that Jon Gruden put Khalil Mack on the chopping block just for not contacting the Raiders due to the fact that he wanted to be paid like an All Pro which he totally was. I can't see Gruden sitting there saying to himself "Man if we had Antonio Brown we would have it made." 

But man what are you doing AB? You had it MADE in Pittsburgh. I see ZERO chance that he doesn't fully regret forcing the Steelers to move him. 

 

50524836_2326613054058307_28902031942169

Edited by BC

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Wouldn't be the Steelers without some bs drama at the end of a season. I bet nothing happens.

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I dunno about that every analyst out there besides Nate Burleson isn't defending Brown on this one and seems to think that if the Steelers want to recoop their integrity that Brown has to be moved. I think I agree at this point. Check out latest thing that Antonio Brown went and did. It appears he went and made a fake twitter account and is defending himself and throwing all the other dogs in the fight under the bus. 

http://dailysnark.com/fans-have-uncovered-what-appears-to-be-steelers-wr-antonio-browns-burner-account/?fbclid=IwAR1cGS0mMfYbsfUdONkSmv_UKYrZUfUVEd2Q-RTYa4J_ht2tF7NEOFy1Zxc

Edited by BC

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I know he is super talented... but I can't even fathom a team wanting this guy. He's one bad game or one other good weapon on your offense away from melting down.

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