The Pittsburgh Steelers imploded when they lost quite badly to the New England Patriots in he AFC Championship Game. But prior to that game, wide receiver Antonio Brown caused a bit of an uproar with a Facebook Live video he published the week before.
Needless to say, head coach Mike Tomlin was less than thrilled with Brown’s choice of live entertainment. So much so, that the Steelers fined Brown $10,000.
Now Steelers president Art Rooney II is chiming in on Brown’s antics, though he made it clear it’s not as big a deal as some have suggested.
Rooney said he view Antonio Brown's antics as "little annoyances, with the emphasis on little," as far as he's concerned.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 31, 2017
This statement can obviously be taken in various ways. Is Rooney taking a dig at Brown’s height? He is one of the league’s shorter receivers measuring in at 5-foot-10.
Joking aside, Rooney probably means that anything Brown does to stir up the pot pales in comparison to how amazing of an athlete he is. Brown is one of the best and talented receivers in the NFL and he contributes greatly to the team as a positive personality.
Rooney also had nothing but praise for Brown.
Rooney on AB: "Antonio is a good guy, a good person. I enjoy him personally. He's someone his teammates like to have on the team."
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 31, 2017
More Rooney on AB: "He's another player we're hoping to….have here for a long time."
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) January 31, 2017
For his tremendous accomplishments, Brown could be slated to become the highest-paid receiver in the league during the offseason (more on that here). Brown finished 2016 with 106 receptions, 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns. It was his fourth consecutive season when he tallied at least 1,200 yards.
While he waits to see if a new deal can be struck, Brown can keep his fans entertained through likely team-approved social media posts.