Even though he’s only entering his fifth year in the league, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown has been around long enough to know what’s expected from players during this portion of the offseason. By the sound of things, he likes the chemistry that he’s seeing develop between the new and old players as the team enters their third week of OTA practices.
“This is the time where you find out a lot about those guys, work out with them, start seeing the kind of personality they have,” Brown said in a recent interview with steelers.com. “As we head to camp and minicamp we can learn how each other works and push each other moving forward.
“You see the hunger in the guys, you see the veteran guys taking hold of the group. It’s always great to see Maurkice Pouncey out there and the offensive line running together as a pack. You see as guys come in everyone working together and working hard. The energy of the group is there.”
One of the new guys coming in this year is wide receiver Lance Moore, who the Steelers signed after losing Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery during free agency. Even though Moore is a newcomer, Brown’s not too proud to pick the brain of the longtime New Orleans Saints wide receiver.
“It’s pretty great working with those guys. I am learning a lot from Lance (Moore),” said Brown. “Everybody is motivated, ready to learn, ready to work and eager to get on the winning side of things and just get going.”
While Brown believes that rookie offensive draft picks Dri Archer and Martavis Bryant are both talented enough to contribute at some point during the 2014 season, he knows it’s important for him to be a shining example for them during practices and it’s a responsibility that he takes seriously.
“I know those guys are watching me, how I go about my business on the field, how I am in the meeting rooms,” said Brown. “That is where I have to set the standard. When I look around in the room there are some older guys, but I am the oldest guy who has been around the longest. I have to will the team to win and my group in the way I handle myself and prepare.”
If the Steelers are going to reverse their 8-8 trend in 2014 and make it back to the playoffs, Brown certainly figures to play a big role in getting things turned around. He knows what the standard is in Pittsburgh and can play a big part in making sure that all of the players in his room live up to it like he does.
