Most comprehensive overview of the ongoing AB situation I've seen

[DesertSteel]

All of these accommodations, by Johnson, Parcells, and Ditka accompanied winning championships.

We’re not winning championships, so the accommodations for AB has bred resentment in some players and that’s why we’re talking about trading him because it’s hurting the team.

Yeah let’s talk about the concessions that Andy Reid and Marty Schottenheimer made lol.

[GoSlash27]

When Tomlin took the Steelers job in 2007, he was 34 years old with a locker room full of leaders, particularly on defense. In that domain, players could mostly police themselves, McFadden said.

That's the culture change that I think is mostly responsible for the drama.
Back in the day under Cowher, the Steelers were a fraternity/ apprenticeship program. Authority was delegated down through the ranks to teach and groom the new kids. They were not expected to be productive from day 1, but would spend years as understudies learning the trade before advancing to starters.
Tomlin changed all that. Now the mantra is "next man up" and "everyone is a starter-in-waiting". He treats them all like they're veteran NFL players who already know how to play and conduct themselves at a pro level. Not saying I know how to coach a pro team better than Tomlin, but I do suspect he's mistaken on that point. I don't believe that every (or even most) collegiate players are ready to be pro NFL players when they walk in the door.

In AB's case, I think he had the talent, skills and work ethic... but lacked the humility and emotional maturity to accept his proper role on the team. The old Steelers culture would've fostered that, this new model doesn't.

My $0.02,
-Slashy

[Mojouw]

Funny thing, once again here's another example of the NBA kicking the NFL's ass at something ... if 90% of the NBA doesn't smoke weed, I will eat nothing but dogshit for a week - but they don't test for it. And how many people talk about that league having a drug problem or an image problem? You don't go out of your way to bust people for it, it's not in the news, and nobody goes around screaming that you have a problem, omg think of the example you're setting for the children, and so on. Just some vague idea that who knows, there MIGHT be some pot use but you can't really say much for sure, and you know what, on-the-court shit is a lot more entertaining that off-the-court drama, and the formula works.

I really really have a hard time understanding how the league can, over and over, run into issues like this, and despite examples everywhere of other leagues doing the opposite and having great success that way, still insist on doing things the stupid way. But I have gotten the conversation far enough off-topic by now.

I remember when the NBA was on strike and no pot testing was one of the player issues. It made news for a few weeks at most. Then the league and players reached and agreement, NBA games resumed and no one talked about it again. The NFL just doesn't get that you can ride out a 10-12 day news cycle of bad and everyone will forget and move on. It is when you double down on stupid that the story sticks around.

I couldn't agree more with your post!

[Mojouw]

That's the culture change that I think is mostly responsible for the drama.
Back in the day under Cowher, the Steelers were a fraternity/ apprenticeship program. Authority was delegated down through the ranks to teach and groom the new kids. They were not expected to be productive from day 1, but would spend years as understudies learning the trade before advancing to starters.
Tomlin changed all that. Now the mantra is "next man up" and "everyone is a starter-in-waiting". He treats them all like they're veteran NFL players who already know how to play and conduct themselves at a pro level. Not saying I know how to coach a pro team better than Tomlin, but I do suspect he's mistaken on that point. I don't believe that every (or even most) collegiate players are ready to be pro NFL players when they walk in the door.

In AB's case, I think he had the talent, skills and work ethic... but lacked the humility and emotional maturity to accept his proper role on the team. The old Steelers culture would've fostered that, this new model doesn't.

My $0.02,
-Slashy

Problem is the economics of this era are different than Cowher's era. Today, the math of the cap and the star driven NFL mandates that you either spend about 2/3 of your cap space on a core group of 6 star players on second or third contracts and fill out the rest of the roster with low-cost (read on rookie contracts) talent (Patriots, Falcons, Chargers, Steelers, Packers) or you get a cheap but amazing rookie QB and spend on a lot of higher priced veteran talent (Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks, Eagles are recent examples). In either situation you are forced into playing young talent because it is stupid cheap right away. Many many observers (meaning smarter people than me!) have commented on how there no longer is a veteran middle class in the NFL. I think the enforcers/teachers of team rules, culture, and discipline have been forced off many rosters.

Kinda like a military unit with no experienced sergeants but lots of officers and privates.

- - - Updated - - -

Yet no one talks about the Instagram post AB put out there encouraging the Steelers players in the Pro Bowl and attached a picture of him celebrating with each one...

DRAMA!!!

[teegre]

The stories that have come out after the fact from that era Cowboy's locker room are beyond bonkers. Guys stabbed guys, Charles Haley exposed and entertained himself regularly all while cycling on and off serious mental health medications. Drugs...women..etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Will-Be-.../dp/0061256803

I can't find the references now, but there are broadly similar discussions regarding the Parcell's era Giants - primarily that Lawrence Taylor's massive cocaine habit and lifestyle was over-looked because...LT wrecked offenses every week.

I haven't found anything specific, but how much does anyone really want to bet me that Jim McMahon had totally different rules and expectations during his salad days with the Bears? I mean the dude showed up to his initial public event as a Bear with a beer in hand.

And that is from two infamous disciplinarians and old-school coaches like Parcells and Ditka.

There are rumors that assistants purchased the cocaine for LT. This is unconfirmed... but... it was the 80’s.

What I do know is this quote from Parcells: “I treat every player equally... but, some are more equal than others.”


Jack Lambert used to sneak out of his hotel room the night before games, and show up hung over. Did Chuck Noll know? Maybe... and, it wouldn’t surprise me if he looked the other way.

Which brings us to Lord Belichick, thee who doth gets his balls washeth by jealous fans of rival teams... Brady has his own trainer, his own cook, and a bunch of other stuff that no one else on the team gets. And, I do not blame Belichick one bit for letting Brady have those perks.

[NCSteeler]

Only thing pisses me off, if this doesn't work out every damn tweet every damn insta post is lowering his value.

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[DesertSteel]

Only thing pisses me off, if this doesn't work out every damn tweet every damn insta post is lowering his value.

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Not necessarily. Some teams may think they have to outbid the 49ers, when the 49ers may not even be interested.

[86WARD]

Tomlin has leaders in the locker room to police each other when he first started and there were little to no problems that we know of. now years later those leaders are gone. Could it be that Tomlin never changed or matured himself and now that those leaders are long gone we are seeing that he wasn’t the influence that we thought he was?

[AtlantaDan]

Of all all the crap AB has pulled that should have been the last straw for Tomlin, it sounds like this moment may have been the closest Tomlin came, with good cause, to having it out in front of the team for once and for all.

While Brown is known for his antics on the field, he's also known for his colorful commentary in the team facility. In one team meeting, a then-teammate overheard Brown asking why Tomlin was trying to "Martin Luther King me" over the fine coming his way.

Tomlin sternly asked him to clarify, the ex-teammate said. Someone told Brown to chill, and a small group of players looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.

http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-...-probably-over

A lot to unpack with AB invoking Dr King to Tomlin in response to being fined

Despite all the acting out recounted in the articlr, this probably still can be or will need to fixed, for reasons including potential trade partners potentially lowering their offers since they know what a stick of dynamite they are adding to their locker room if an aging receiver likely to decline is brought on board.

[stillers4me]

[Shoes]

Business is booming!

[NCSteeler]

Somehow, I wish they would reach out and find that nobody wants him. Maybe that’s will straighten his ass out. Bell is about to find out his real value and I bet he’s shocked.


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[HollywoodSteel]

This is so minor in the grand scheme of things.

As everyone else pointed out, winning is what matters. And what of AB’s horrific crimes to Steelerdom??? oh my!!

He isn’t shooting at helicopters and he isn’t smoking crack.

If the Steelers trade him over a stupid power struggle or because, God forbid... drama!!! In a profession that is 100% Entertainment! Execute him and have a worse team because of it... because we can’t have drama!!!!


This article only proves that we all have too much time on our hands and are being unfairly entertained in our team’s offseason.

The Steelers will work this out with Brown. There is obviously zero reason to trade him. It’s all posturing. AB will be a Steeler next year or A.R.2 doesn’t deserve to keep his team or his famous last name.

I love all my fellow forum posters but if keeping the greatest WR of all time makes you give up your fandom to the Steelers and to football then you have been watching the sport thus far for very strange reasons. You KNOW this stuff and MUCH worse has been going on behind the scenes throughout all of your untainted memories of the sport, REGARDLESS of how much the athletes were getting paid.

It’s just knowing about it that ruins the experience for you? Or it’s the fact that the athletes are getting paid what they are worth and training all year round? You’d rather have AB selling cars instead of working on his craft? REALLY???? You really believe that would make the Steelers more enjoyable to watch on Sundays?

I’m not gonna judge you. I just think if you give up on football, that’s a weird reason.

[pczach]

This is so minor in the grand scheme of things.

As everyone else pointed out, winning is what matters. And what of AB’s horrific crimes to Steelerdom??? oh my!!

He isn’t shooting at helicopters and he isn’t smoking crack.

If the Steelers trade him over a stupid power struggle or because, God forbid... drama!!! In a profession that is 100% Entertainment! Execute him and have a worse team because of it... because we can’t have drama!!!!


This article only proves that we all have too much time on our hands and are being unfairly entertained in our team’s offseason.

The Steelers will work this out with Brown. There is obviously zero reason to trade him. It’s all posturing. AB will be a Steeler next year or A.R.2 doesn’t deserve to keep his team or his famous last name.

I love all my fellow forum posters but if keeping the greatest WR of all time makes you give up your fandom to the Steelers and to football then you have been watching the sport thus far for very strange reasons. You KNOW this stuff and MUCH worse has been going on behind the scenes throughout all of your untainted memories of the sport, REGARDLESS of how much the athletes were getting paid.

It’s just knowing about it that ruins the experience for you? Or it’s the fact that the athletes are getting paid what they are worth and training all year round? You’d rather have AB selling cars instead of working on his craft? REALLY???? You really believe that would make the Steelers more enjoyable to watch on Sundays?

I’m not gonna judge you. I just think if you give up on football, that’s a weird reason.

Did I miss something?

Are people here saying that they will no longer be a fan of the team if Antonio Brown is still on the team?

It's okay to have an opinion on the issue, but depriving myself of something I love over one player is silly.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Somehow, I wish they would reach out and find that nobody wants him. Maybe that’s will straighten his ass out. Bell is about to find out his real value and I bet he’s shocked.

it only takes one team...

[HollywoodSteel]

Did I miss something?

Are people here saying that they will no longer be a fan of the team if Antonio Brown is still on the team?

It's okay to have an opinion on the issue, but depriving myself of something I love over one player is silly.

I don’t want to put words in anyone’s mouth, but I think some people are claiming that the current state of the Steelers culture, and possibly the NFL in general, has ruined the enjoyment of the game for them.

That’s what I’m addressing. I think maybe it’s the frustration of not winning that’s the real problem as opposed to anything new about the athletes or culture.