Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that star wide receiver Antonio Brown did not show up at the team facility on Monday.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that star wide receiver Antonio Brown did not show up at the team facility on Monday.
The Steelers did not practice on Monday, but the remaining players were at the facility in team meetings.
While Tomlin acknowledged Brown’s absence on Tuesday, he did not provide additional details and opted against saying whether the six-time Pro Bowl selection was excused from activities.
“He was not (in attendance), Tomlin said. “I’m looking forward to visiting with him today and discussing that and other things,” Tomlin said of Brown.
Monday was an eventful day for Brown, who received criticism from a former Steelers employee on social media.
“AB needs to thank his lucky stars, because he was drafted by a team that had Ben (Roethlisberger). And Ben got AB paid,” a former team staffer wrote on Twitter. “You know darn well he wouldn’t put up those numbers for other teams.”
Brown didn’t waste time responding, writing: “Trade me let’s find out”
Tomlin nearly chuckled on Tuesday when asked if Brown had asked to be traded.
“No,” Tomlin said.
Brown was also seen venting to offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner on the sideline during Pittsburgh’s 42-37 setback to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The 30-year-old Brown finished with nine receptions in his second straight game while increasing his season total to 160 yards and a touchdown.
“(Brown’s) a competitor and he wants to be the best in the world and he probably is the best in the world and he wants to make every play and catch every ball and every touchdown, which is what every player wants to do,” Roethlisberger said Monday during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan. “You know he took it out on some people and I give Randy a lot of credit for not losing it on him, but you know it’s just one of those things that I think in the heat of the battle and you’re losing the football game, it’s just tough on anybody.
“I don’t I think he just . just another reason why I don’t do social media right? Guys get under your skin and find a way to do it. I don’t think he wants traded. I’ll speak with him tomorrow and maybe I’ll have a different answer after that but I don’t think that.”
Brown has recorded 100-plus catch seasons in each of the last five years. He also has eclipsed 1,200 receiving yards while reeling in eight or more touchdown passes in every season during that stretch.
Signed to a four-year, $68 million contract extension in February 2017, Brown had 101 receptions for an NFL-best 1,533 yards last season despite missing two games with a calf injury. He also had nine touchdown catches en route to being named the AFC Offensive Player of the Year.
Brown has 751 career receptions for 10,070 yards and 60 touchdowns since entering the league as a sixth-round pick of the Steelers in the 2010 NFL Draft.
The Steelers (0-1-1) will vie for their first win on Monday night (8:15 p.m. ET) against the unbeaten Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) at Raymond James Stadium.
