Antonio Brown was at the Steelers' facility on Thursday, four days after a sideline outburst and three days after he no-showed for work. So why didn't Brown show up on Monday, hours after the Steelers lost to the Chiefs?

"Personal reasons," he told reporters crowded around his locker, via KDKA's Josh Rowntree. "Obviously, the coach knew where I was at. We talked. It's between me and him."

On Wednesday, coach MIke Tomlin said this about his mercurial wide receiver.

"[Brown] and I met yesterday for an extended period of time. I'll leave the nature of that conversation between us. There was discipline involved for his missed meeting on Monday."

Though that discipline apparently won't keep Brown from playing in the Steelers' game against the Buccaneers on Monday night.

Brown wouldn't divulge what he and Tomlin discussed and said this when asked about the results of his conversation with the coach: "It doesn't matter. It's all about playing football. The distractions we've gotta stay away from. I'm here to play football and in that regard we've got to stay focused."

Brown was also asked about this moment in Sunday's game, which happened after the Steelers had just scored their fourth touchdown.

"Well, we're losing the game," he said." We're getting beat by 40 and we haven't won a game yet. For me, as a Steeler, that's unacceptable. You know, I'm not on the sideline begging for the ball or making or making statements like you guys make. I'm pissed off. We're losing. ...

"You guys make assumptions about my emotions. You guys don't know me at all. You guys just write what you think are gonna get hits. Everyone in this locker room knows what I stand for and know what I'm about. And I'm committed to this organization. I'm fully here. I got to work every day ... and I don't take it for granted. My business is winning here. I come here to win. We ain't winning? You damn right I'm pissed off."

As for why Brown left the locker room Sunday before reporters could talk to him, he offered this: "If you guys want to talk to me, let's talk. I'm right here. I'm not hiding from none of you. I don't hide from no one. I'm from Liberty City."

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed Brown on at least one touchdown throw against the Chiefs, isn't worried.

"A.B. is a very passionate football player. I think we all know that, the fans know that," Big Ben said on Wednesday. "That's what makes him special, is his passion for this game and the passion to be great. We're not going to want to take that away from him. When he gets frustrated in games, just tell him to stay with me, talk to me, communicate with me. ... If I missed you on something, if you're getting open and I didn't see you, let's just talk and communicate. He does a great job of doing that."

The one sure-fire way to change the conversation: The Steelers need to win. As it stands, four of seven CBSSports.com experts expect Pittsburgh to get its first victory on Monday against the 2-0 Bucs, one of the league's most surprising teams.