The Steelers seem to be coming unglued
Mike Tomlin's season-ending comments are dominated by a petulant Antonio Brown.
The NFL’s second-winningest team during Bill Belichick’s tenure in Foxborough appears headed for a reckoning.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin didn’t want to say during his season-ending comments on Wednesday that Antonio Brown quit on his team, but he didn’t come close to ruling it out.
“The bottom line is we were playing a significant game and he didn’t do a good enough job of communicating, of being available in the hours leading up to that performance,” Tomlin said on Week 17’s must-win against Cincinnati — the Steelers did win on a late field goal, but still missed the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. “I’ve been real clear at outlining what transpired, the level of communication, things of that nature. Obviously there are some things within that that you can infer, certainly.”
Pittsburgh’s Pro Bowl wide receiver went radio silent in the days before the finale, in essence abandoning the club in what Tomlin described as its “darkest hour.”
Though Brown did make a cameo appearance on the sideline, rocking a fur coat, he vanished before the final gun and did not show up on Monday for exit interviews and to clear out his locker.
Tomlin said Brown arrived at practice last Wednesday reporting discomfort in his lower body, with at least one report there was a disagreement on field that day between Brown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The team gave Brown the day off, then did so again on Thursday. On Friday, Tomlin sent Brown home to rest and suggested he get an MRI on the banged up knee.
Neither Tomlin nor Roethlisberger — with whom Brown has an apparent long-standing beef — heard from Brown on Saturday to get an update. When Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus reached out on Sunday morning to tell Tomlin that Brown was available to play, Tomlin “drew a line in the sand” and said Brown could best serve the Steelers by cheering on the sideline.
Rather than spend time elaborating on how the Steelers went from 7-2-1 the week before Thanksgiving to 9-6-1 and home for the postseason — a collapse Tomlin plans to “wallow” in over the next few weeks — he spent the majority of his time responding to questions about Brown.
It’s nothing new. The 30-year-old is the only player in NFL history with six-straight 100-catch seasons, but has become adept at drawing headlines for things that have nothing to do with football, be it livestreaming Tomlin from the postgame locker room in Kansas City two years ago to threatening a reporter from ESPN on social media in September to suggesting on Twitter he should be traded.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsI_PgDhKG7/
As Tomlin spoke, Brown — who has three years remaining on his four-year, $72 million extension he signed in the spring of 2017 — published a post on Instagram to his 3.1 million followers saying, “I am divinely blessed with free will. I utilize that gift, choosing to take charge of my life.” Brown also appeared with former teammate James Harrison, who joined the Patriots for the end of the 2017 season after Tomlin cut him that December, who promised an exclusive “interview” with Brown.
Tomlin has long had a policy of trying to tune out what his players say or do on social media, but admitted there’s a level of “disappointment” when it comes to Brown’s actions. Asked if there’s a point with Brown or any player where the distractions can outweigh the on-the-field benefits, Tomlin said “certainly.”
Whether the Steelers are at that point is unclear, though at least one report out of Pittsburgh postulated that might be close. Tomlin said the team has not received any “formal” trade requests from Brown’s camp, though Jason La Canfora of CBS reported Brown “has asked to be dealt,” just not demanded it.
All this comes from the same team that never came to terms with running back LeVeon Bell, who sat out the season after not signing a franchise tag tender and could become a free agent in March. Tomlin was mum on specifics about Bell, whom he didn’t name, saying simply that “we are going to pause before we start talking” about 2019.
Jarvis Landry, meanwhile, went on Twitter to propose both Brown and Bell would be better with him in Cleveland, later declaring, “Who else out there feeling under appreciated!!? Let’s Win A ChampionShip.”
Also on Wednesday, Roethlisberger’s propensity to point fingers at teammates throughout his career drew a stern rebuke from FS1’s Shannon Sharpe.
Big Ben is terrible leader. He’s a finger pointing, divisive, selfish player. Who constantly looks for someone to blame or throw under the bus for his shortcomings. Le’veon situation was the prob now. Le’veon wasn’t the reason 7-2-1, but the problem for missing playoffs. FOH
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) January 2, 2019
Sharpe also had sharp words for Tomlin, declaring Roethlisberger and Brown’s behavior “is either coached or condone(d) and both falls on the coach.” At 12 seasons, Tomlin is the third longest tenured NFL coach behind Belichick and Sean Payton in New Orleans.
Brown’s future status is just one of a number of questions the Steelers will face the next few months, starting with the coaching staff. The defense and special teams both had critical missteps this season and offensive line coach Mike Munchak is in the mix for several open head coaching positions.
“When you lack success, when you fail, change is a part of it,” Tomlin said. “We talk about it. As a staff we talk about it. As players, in exit meetings. That’s just our business.”
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.
