Report: Bills Out Of Trade Talks For Antonio Brown
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Buffalo Bills are reportedly out of trade talks with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Antonio Brown.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, intense talks between the two teams went well into the night, but by morning Buffalo told the Steelers they were out.
Update from the #Bills on the Antonio Brown: After intense talks that went into last night, and almost getting there on trade compensation, Buffalo says they are out. The #Steelers now must find another suitor.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
He says Brown would not commit to showing up in Buffalo.
Rapoport went on to say, "Steelers are [at] square one again."
From @gmfb: The #Bills neared a trade last night for WR Antonio Brown, who would not commit to showing up in Buffalo. The organization did speak with agent Drew Rosenhaus. This morning, Buffalo says they are out, amid uncertainty. Steelers are square one again. pic.twitter.com/d4suLfaVWP
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac said on Twitter that "Brown nixed going to Buffalo."
Steelers and Bills had"positive" trade talks last night, but deal fell apart because Antonio Brown nixed going to Buffalo, per source.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) March 8, 2019
ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter posted this statement from the Bills on his Twitter account: ""We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers. We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn't make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency."
Bills' GM Brandon Beane: "We inquired about Antonio Brown on Tuesday, and kept talks open with the Steelers. We had positive discussions, but ultimately it didn't make sense for either side. As great a player as Antonio Brown is, we have moved on and our focus is on free agency."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2019
The reports started with a tweet from Rapoport around 11:30 p.m. Thursday. He said the Steelers were closing in on a deal.
A short time later, the NFL put the news on its Instagram account, and Brown commented, saying: "Fake News."
Overnight, Schefter tweeted that a source told him: "I don't think the Bills trade was ever close to happening."
Another source on a potential Antonio Brown-to-Buffalo trade said it will not happen. "I don't think the Bills trade was ever close to happening," said one source involved in those talks. Steelers snd Bills briefly talked but "this is an old story. It was dead on Wednesday."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2019
Earlier this week, the Steelers set Friday as a soft deadline for Brown trade offers.
The team wants to have a deal done before free agency starts on Wednesday.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.