Report: Steelers' Brown skips workouts, working on contract

[Rotorhead]

Normally I would agree with alot of people points, but this is the Steelers. They have a track record of keeping their players that are fan favorites and not cutting them before their contracts ends. Brown may want more money, but the Steelers took the chance on him when they gave him big money originally and it paid off. Brown got alot of money, maybe it is not top 5 WR money, but it was better than what he showed when he signed. Finish your contract AB, and you will get another big one in 2 yrs. He should be playing for his next contract, 2 yrs of top 5 WR will net him another big contract.

[Lady Steel]

Antonio hasn't tweeted since April 18th, and he usually tweets every day. Just sayin'.

[hawaiiansteeler]

one of my favorite AB pics:

[smokin3000gt]

I understand he's trying to get paid like everyone else but I didn't expect this from him so early on. It's disappointing because most of the veteran players are gone so it's up to these guys to set the pace and the Steeler/team attitude. This is a bad example to set for the new guys.

[Psycho Ward 86]

i bet if ben pulled this shit the fan base would go ape shit and say fuck this guy.


looneys. its a business. not showing up to these things happens ALL THE TIME. stop thinking like a fan and think like a player and agent.

[Mojouw]

i bet if ben pulled this shit the fan base would go ape shit and say fuck this guy.


looneys. its a business. not showing up to these things happens ALL THE TIME. stop thinking like a fan and think like a player and agent.

Exactly. The laundry list of guys not showing up for these things around the league is long and distinguished. Michael Bennett in Seattle and Eric Weddle in SD to name just two. It doesn;t really matter until training camp.

[steelreserve]

i bet if ben pulled this shit the fan base would go ape shit and say fuck this guy.


looneys. its a business. not showing up to these things happens ALL THE TIME. stop thinking like a fan and think like a player and agent.

Why would I think like that? I'm not a player or an agent. I'm a fan, and there's nothing wrong with that. I might as well ask you why you don't think more like a doctor, or a bond-market analyst.

And as a FAN, I say FUCK THAT HORSESHIT. I don't care which other players skipped training camp, or who you're dating, or whether you feel disrespected, or whether you took a dump and announced it to the world on Twitter. I care about how what you're doing affects the chances of my team winning a football game that I'm going to watch on TV. That is the full extent of my relationship with you as an athlete; nothing more. This doesn't help, so fuck you. If you get it resolved reasonably and come back, I will take the "fuck you" back.

I know, I know. "But if you were in his situation you'd do the exact same thing!" No. I don't know what I'd do. None of you know what you'd do either. I can only tell you what I think as a fan, not play pretend in some crazy hypothetical situation.

[86WARD]

one of my favorite AB pics:

One of? It is THEEE Antonio Brown Picture!

[Lady Steel]

[fansince'76]

i bet if ben pulled this shit the fan base would go ape shit and say fuck this guy.

I'd say roughly 30-40% of them do that on a regular basis for no real reason at all anyway. Hell, Ben can't even make a passing comment to the press without it being overanalyzed to the Nth degree and fans jumping all over his shit about it. And God forbid he has a sub-par game...

[Psycho Ward 86]

Why would I think like that? I'm not a player or an agent. I'm a fan, and there's nothing wrong with that. I might as well ask you why you don't think more like a doctor, or a bond-market analyst.

And as a FAN, I say FUCK THAT HORSESHIT. I don't care which other players skipped training camp, or who you're dating, or whether you feel disrespected, or whether you took a dump and announced it to the world on Twitter. I care about how what you're doing affects the chances of my team winning a football game that I'm going to watch on TV. That is the full extent of my relationship with you as an athlete; nothing more. This doesn't help, so fuck you. If you get it resolved reasonably and come back, I will take the "fuck you" back.

I know, I know. "But if you were in his situation you'd do the exact same thing!" No. I don't know what I'd do. None of you know what you'd do either. I can only tell you what I think as a fan, not play pretend in some crazy hypothetical situation.

so that you better understand the situation from the player's point of view. I am insinuating that fans should empathize, not sympathize, because at the end of the day thats all we can do since none of us are players.

by the way, do people realize that these workouts so far are VOLUNTARY and that veteran players miss them all the time, whether it be a contract situation or to workout somewhere else that they prefer to train? if Antonio Brown starts casually skipping out on minicamp and OTA's then it's time to start getting peeved imo. although even then, his desire for a new contract would remain valid. i am by no means pleased with the situation. i was hoping like many others that we would be able to get away with underpaying antonio for a little bit longer through his contract, but if his last 2 years are any indication (and based on his work ethic), that was a laughable wish.

i also dont understand why many people seem to be implying that these contracts are supposed to be set in stone. pay cuts, restructures, extensions, deletions happen all the time. antonio's angle is pretty understandable

- - - Updated - - -

this tweet probably only made 3 steeler fans in the whole world put their torches and pitch forks away

[Lady Steel]

this tweet probably only made 3 steeler fans in the whole world put their torches and pitch forks away

A lot of the subtweets or replies or whatever they're called are actually blaming this on his agent. Antonio was called a hypocrite by one fan, and was told by some others not to do it. He's actually not getting the flack I thought he would be getting, not for this tweet anyway, and I'm glad about that. I feel badly for him. It's a tough spot for him to be in.

[Drazo85]

A lot of the subtweets or replies or whatever they're called are actually blaming this on his agent. Antonio was called a hypocrite by one fan, and was told by some others not to do it. He's actually not getting the flack I thought he would be getting, not for this tweet anyway, and I'm glad about that. I feel badly for him. It's a tough spot for him to be in.

Its tough indeed but he choosed to travel that road. Hope everything work out for all three parties involved (AB, Rooneys and fans).

[stillers4me]

The Steelers opened voluntary offseason workouts Monday with one notable player missing.

All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown won’t be attending any of the Steelers voluntary workouts, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said.

Beyond that, we’ll see.

This caused much consternation among Steelers fans. Perhaps, this is why the team hosted a number of potential first-round wide receiver prospects in their predraft visits?

Or maybe not............

read more @ http://www.observer-reporter.com/art...2#.VTd0y5PTn5z

[stillers4me]

Its tough indeed but he choosed to travel that road. Hope everything work out for all three parties involved (AB, Rooneys and fans).

Bingo. The agent works for the player, not the other way around. He's chosen this road, I just hope the drama doesn't escalate into training camp. We finally got this offense humming and nobody wants to see it fall apart already. It's bad enough we have to plan for 3 games, with the NFL's toughest schedule without Bell. And now this.

[stillers4me]

It is way too early to think about a battle of wills taking place in late July and August between All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown and the Pittsburgh Steelers.


The workout that Brown missed Monday is voluntary. All of them are, as are most of the practices that will take place in late May through the middle of June.


If Brown, who clearly wants a contract that better reflects his standing as one of the premier wideouts in the game, skips the mandatory minicamp in June then we may be heading toward some drama.


But there is a long time between the first day of offseason workouts and the start of training camp.

Brown and his camp have to know that they have virtually no leverage with three years still left on Brown’s contract...............

Read more @ http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/pos...nting-new-deal

[TD's & Beer]

I understand he's trying to get paid like everyone else but I didn't expect this from him so early on. It's disappointing because most of the veteran players are gone so it's up to these guys to set the pace and the Steeler/team attitude. This is a bad example to set for the new guys.

He has the Steelers over a barrel


Brown is entering the fourth year of the six-year, $43 million contract, and is set to make $6 million in guaranteed money, with a $1.7 million signing bonus. Brown is likely looking for a deal akin to the 8-year, $132 million deal Calvin Johnson signed in 2012, when Johnson was 26 years old.

Brown’s holdout isn’t a sign of greed; it is a sign of knowledge of the business that is the NFL. He will be approaching 30 years old by the time his current contract is up, which would drive down his value in contract talks greatly. No team will be willing to hand a 30 year-old receiver a longterm deal that is high in guaranteed dollars. After establishing himself as the top receiver in the NFL at 26 years old, his time to cash in is now.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are notorious for playing hardball in contract negotiations, expressing an unwillingness to take care of their receivers in recent years. When Wallace expressed displeasure with his contract in 2012, the Steelers turned around and handed Brown a six-year deal, and lost Wallace following the 2012 Season. The team also refused to pay Emmanuel Sanders, and lost him quickly in free agency to Denver in 2014.

Brown’s situation may be different, as the Steelers offense would be devastated without him. Outside of Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton, there isn’t any quality depth within the receiving corps. Brown is seemingly unstoppablewith his precise route running and other worldly quickness.

Brown’s displeasure with his contract is not a promising sign for Steelers brass and fans alike

http://isportsweb.com/2015/04/21/pittsburgh-steelers-antonio-brown-holds-out/

[teegre]

1. The owners can cut a player at will. Yet, we never seem to mention that fact (and call the owners names for "not honoring the contract").

2. There is no "guaranteed" contract, except for signing bonus. Players want bigger bonuses (more guaranteed money)... in case the owners do not "honor the contract."

SOLUTION:
Extend AB, with essentially the same annual salary, but with more guaranteed money.

AB makes (on average) $8 million per season. Extend him by two years, at a slightly higher annual salary... with a LARGER (than normal) portion in signing bonus. 5 years/$45 million ($9 million per season... $1 million more than his current annual salary). $15 million of it is signing bonus.

$15 million is guaranteed.
The annual salaries would be backloaded: $4 million, $4 million, $5 million, $8 million, $9 million.

[Steeldude]

Fine him the maximum amount for each regular season game he misses.

[TD's & Beer]

So, if we take a WR in the 1st rd - then we can worry?

[Bluecoat96]

Well....according to Antonio Brown, he's spending time with his newborn and can't wait to get back with his teammates. He tweeted about it today I guess. (can't check Twitter at work) Could it be that the media is....get ready for it.....wrong again?!?!

I'm sure he wants a new contract, but unless he's a total idiot he is probably well aware of how the Steelers do business.

[Psycho Ward 86]

1. The owners can cut a player at will. Yet, we never seem to mention that fact (and call the owners names for "not honoring the contract").

2. There is no "guaranteed" contract, except for signing bonus. Players want bigger bonuses (more guaranteed money)... in case the owners do not "honor the contract."

SOLUTION:
Extend AB, with essentially the same annual salary, but with more guaranteed money.

AB makes (on average) $8 million per season. Extend him by two years, at a slightly higher annual salary... with a LARGER (than normal) portion in signing bonus. 5 years/$45 million ($9 million per season... $1 million more than his current annual salary). $15 million of it is signing bonus.

$15 million is guaranteed.
The annual salaries would be backloaded: $4 million, $4 million, $5 million, $8 million, $9 million.

he'd be pretty dumb to take that honestly. no way he gets less than $12 million a year with what some of the other guys are getting. JJ Watt and Antonio Brown would be perenial winners of the non-QB MVP award if there was one, and that warrants a lot of money

[teegre]

he'd be pretty dumb to take that honestly. no way he gets less than $12 million a year with what some of the other guys are getting. JJ Watt and Antonio Brown would be perenially winners of the non-QB MVP award if there was one, and that warrants a lot of money

True... if it were the last year of his contract. But, he has three years to go; so, the Steelers have quite a bit of leverage. It's not like AB can afford to sit out three entire seasons...

That said, you're right: the numbers should be higher.

I guess my point is: players want bigger signing bonuses. They truly don't care about annual salaries and/or length of contract. So, if the Steelers could pay him around the same amount annually, while increasing his singing bonus, AB would likely be satisfied.

[TD's & Beer]

Antonio, don't be doin' this shit

c'mon man

[hawaiiansteeler]

So, if we take a WR in the 1st rd - then we can worry?

not if that WR is named either Amari Cooper, Kevin White or DeVante Parker...

[TD's & Beer]

I have to say, I would take Amari Cooper



GO BUCKEYES!

[Steeldude]

So, if we take a WR in the 1st rd - then we can worry?

Even if Brown left I wouldn't waste a 1st round pick on a WR.

[TD's & Beer]

Even if Brown left I wouldn't waste a 1st round pick on a WR.

sure, we could waste it on another tweener bust at LB but I'm figuring the D will suck anyway, might as well get Ben a new weapon to score those 35 pts a game we're gonna need every week.

[SteelMember]

Another thread on this subject... ZZZZzzzzz

[86WARD]

Another thread on this subject... ZZZZzzzzz

This