Fans, Sports Agents, Former Players React To Antonio Brown Drama Nearing End … In Pittsburgh
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Antonio Brown is getting closer to officially becoming a member of the Oakland Raiders.
A local sports agent told KDKA's John Shumway that all the drama surrounding AB's recent behavior would never have been tolerated by the old Steelers management.
Brown leaves the Steelers Nation with a legacy of highlight and a sour taste.
"Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out," says Robert Agnew of Ross Township.
Mary Gottron added, "He's a distraction so I think it's a good thing that he's gone."
The off-field drama that has become Brown's story over the past few months morphed into a campaign of discontent with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the team since he walked out on the Steelers final game of the season. Despite having two years left on his contract, Brown wanted out and made sure everyone knew it.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Steeler Chris Hoke believes it never was about those things.
"Ben, (head coach Mike) Tomlin and (GM) Kevin Colbert to me those are all smoke screens," Hoke said. "That wasn't the real reason. The real reason is he wanted more money."
Now Brown is heading for the Raiders with a fatter paycheck and the Steelers picking up a couple of draft picks.
Super Sports Agent Ralph Cindrich says, "Antonio wins big, there are a lot of losers. The Steelers are losers the NFL loses. This is not the way the league should operate."
Fan Joe Conroy from McCandless says, "In the end, it's good that he's gone. Now they can trade up and get the inside linebacker and cornerback that they need."
Hoke says the team has been hurt by the LeVeon Bell and Antonio Bell dramas.
"They wanted to move on its time to focus on the team and not on individuals who are drawing attention to themselves and not the Steelers as a whole," he said.
Cindrich has a lot of respect for how the Steelers do business.
"They've treated individuals like men but this time they went way too far and I don't see the old man, Dan Rooney doing that," he said. "I don't want to throw that equation out there but this should have been stopped a lot of earlier."
Hoke says look for changes in the locker room by Tomlin.
"He's a good leader. He knows to manage people and communicate with people and he'll make the appropriate adjustments."
The deal can't become official until the new football year begins Wednesday afternoon. Then, Brown will move on from Black and Gold to Black and Silver.
In case you haven't checked yet, the Raiders are not on the Steelers schedule for this coming season.