The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. Along with this, they have some of the greatest players in the history of the game. From Joe Greene and Terry Bradshaw to Troy Polamalu and Jerome Bettis, there are numerous Hall of Fame players that are remembered fondly for their time in Pittsburgh. However, there is one prominent Steeler that may never see himself inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a result of his actions off the field—WR Antonio Brown.
Brown might be the greatest wide receiver that has ever played the game of football. That point can be argued, but considering that conversation includes names like Jerry Rice and Randy Moss, it’s impressive that any case can be made at all. Regardless of his talents, the argument can be ended rather quickly if one looks at his behavior off the football field.
Drafted by the Steelers in 2010, Brown quickly captured the hearts of fans everywhere with his abilities. In 2012, after playing his first two seasons, the Steelers gave Brown a five-year, $42.5 million extension, showing their faith in him as a player. In a recent interview with VladTV on YouTube, Brown spoke about this extension and why he played the game of football.
“That showed me what I really mean to the team, and the responsibility of the organization, to be able to get a $42 million deal after only playing two years. So for me, it was never about the money ‘cause you know NFL, you know it come with money,” Brown said. “I always signed up for the game to be great, and to leave a legacy in regards to how I play, and the stats and the opportunities you create while doing it. I just know when I got paid, they was putting the responsibility on me to be able to take the organization where it wanted to be.”
That certainly is interesting to hear from Brown, as it helps others to understand his mindset and explain some of his behavior. Oftentimes, if he wasn’t getting the ball, Brown would be visibly frustrated with certain outbursts like when he threw a cooler on the sideline, as one example. Brown’s nine seasons in Pittsburgh provided plenty of highlights, and it’s unfortunate that what he’ll probably be remembered for the most is his downfall.
It’s clear from the way he talks that Brown loved the Steelers and getting the chance to play for them. He described that contract as a “badge of honor” that he wore proudly, as it showed how much the team believed in him. It helps to know that Brown wasn’t playing for greed, but rather to prove himself and to show doubters that he could be special.
Much of the news surrounding Brown now centers around his mental health, with everyone having their own theory about what went wrong. How could someone go from the best player in the world to stripping his uniform off in the middle of the game? The truth is that there may never be an answer, as some of those things he did contradict his self-stated reason for playing the game. They actively hurt his legacy, and will continue to do so.
The ultimate sign of a player being not just great, but extraordinary, is the Hall of Fame. Being inducted there seems to fall in line with Brown’s goals, so it’s a shame that it will likely never happen. A few poor decisions have caused his legacy to shift from that of an all-time great to a cautionary tale about letting your aspirations control you.
According to Pro Football Reference’s Hall of Fame monitor, Brown is currently 14th on the list of all-time wide receivers in their composite Hall of Fame metric. He is above what they have list as an “Average HOF WR” and sits above several players who have already been inducted. His stats and accomplishments should make him a slam-dunk first-ballot inductee, but voters will likely be hesitant to give him football’s highest honor, and for good reason.
