Brown’s antics continue to bring Steelers down
From the notebook of a sportswriter who thought the low point for the Pittsburgh Steelers was the day their best assistant coach left for Denver:
n But with Antonio Brown, there seems to be no bottom.
n The team鈥檚 best playmaker failed to show for the final practices of the season, was benched, left the final game at halftime, and still hasn鈥檛 talked to his coach. Now we鈥檙e learning that the day after Art Rooney II publicly doubted that Brown would be with the team this coming season, Brown was allegedly involved in a physical altercation with one of the mothers of one of his children.
n The latest incident allegedly occurred the week after I wrote about about the low expectations on the return for Brown in a trade. On Jan. 10, I was told to expect only a third-rounder in a trade. I assumed that was more misery than logic, and that they would get a little more in return. But I certainly wasn鈥檛 a part of the 鈥渢op-10 draft pick鈥� crowd that saw a Brown trade as a potential draft day boon.
n Now it appears Brown鈥檚 fallen into Santonio Holmes territory. Early in 2010, the Steelers traded Holmes, their top playmaker, for a fifth-round pick that was, ironically, traded soon thereafter for the sixth-round pick they used to draft Brown.
n One reason for the low return was that Holmes was facing a four-game suspension to open the following season. Brown could be headed that way as well, considering the NFL feels it must take on an enforcement role when they think the law doesn鈥檛.
n That鈥檚 been a pet peeve of mine. The league should let the police and individual teams handle discipline problems. But, it鈥檚 what the NFL does, and the Steelers should be prepared for Brown to feel its wrath.
n Of course, we should wait until the complete story comes out of Hollywood, Fla., but anyone who鈥檚 dealt with Brown鈥檚 volatility since last spring doesn鈥檛 have much optimism that he鈥檒l be exonerated, or even that he鈥檒l come to his senses and make lasting peace with his coach and teammates.
n Yes, handing Brown a $19 million bonus and a four-year contract extension six weeks after his Facebook debacle in the 2016 playoffs turned out to be a mistake. But who at the time was calling for the Steelers to let him ride out the one year he had left on his contract?
n Brown was a difficult person with which to deal at the time, but nothing like he鈥檚 been this past year. It started in the spring with a strange and confrontational mob interview, and that confrontational attitude with local media continued into training camp and the early part of the season. He was easy to ignore through the remainder of the season, even through a charge that he allegedly had thrown furniture out the window of a high-rise apartment building and later was given a speeding ticket for driving over 100 m.p.h. on a busy Pittsburgh area street. But his combative nature re-surfaced at season鈥檚 end. And now this.
n It鈥檚 a low point for the Steelers because of the realization they won鈥檛 be compensated fairly for his on-field talent, and also that they really can鈥檛 trust he鈥檒l pull himself together and help them next season.
n Sure, the players could talk Mike Tomlin into putting up with Brown鈥檚 behavior for one more season. But now that Brown鈥檚 seemingly become a public safety hazard, Rooney II is on the hook and he鈥檒l have to do what he knows is right. And at this point, that means ditching Brown.
n The math doesn鈥檛 help this business decision, either. Yes, the Steelers would save $15.13M in monies owed Brown this year, but by unloading him their cap would be slapped with $14M in prorated bonus money from the next two years.
n The only possible bright spot might be some sort of legal recompense of his bonus money, which would include the March 17 roster bonus of $2.5 million (included in the aforementioned $15.13M) and the chance that this year鈥檚 $7M in prorated bonus could be included with the $14M for the next two years. Force Brown to give all of that back and the Steelers would see all of his 2019 earnings as cap relief.
n That $15M would be more than enough to land a quality receiver in free agency; however, it鈥檚 highly unlikely all of that legalese could be resolved by next month, and the Steelers 鈥� ever the cautious and patient organization 鈥� would no doubt hold tight throughout.
n It鈥檚 more likely the Steelers will trade for their 鈥淪antonio fifth,鈥� take their $1 million in cap relief, and move forward into the draft with lowered 2019 expectations.
n On the bright side, those lowered expectations would give a team that鈥檚 been vilified as drama-soaked a chance to show it really does have character and make a run as an underdog.
n Speaking of legal recompense, if the Steelers seek mediation on the cost of a transfer tag on Le鈥橵eon Bell, and win, and then tag Bell for, say, $10 million, it would, in my opinion, merely be an excuse for not spending that money in free agency.
n As determined as they seem to keep their homegrown talent, or at least get something of value back in a trade, they really need to move on from Bell and all of the bad vibes associated with their two so-called superstar playmakers.
n What a disappointment those once dreamy 鈥渢riplets鈥� have become.
n Of course, the Steelers dislike being bullied. They don鈥檛 like players putting them on the spot and forcing their hand, so any course of action on their part remains a possibility.
n It鈥檚 part of the reason I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised to see them re-sign 33-year-old guard Ramon Foster, even though they possess young and talented reserves behind him.
n The Steelers need a positive story, and Foster鈥檚 part of what I maintain is a core of players with strong character. Re-signing him and letting him speak frankly at a subsequent press conference would be a good step on the way back to maintaining their organizational standards.
n And get a true underdog run underway.