Antonio Brown used to be Pittsburgh sports royalty, until he jettisoned his way out of town earlier this year. Brown, whose constant criticism of the Steelers through the media ultimately forced Pittsburgh to trade him to Oakland, is now a member of the Patriots organization after Brown's actions led to the Raiders granting him his release last Saturday.
Brown, who is now facing a civil lawsuit that has led to questions regarding his status for New England's Week 2 matchup in Miami, has become the main storyline during the NFL's centennial season, a fact that doesn't sit well with Terry Bradshaw, an NFL analyst for FOX Sports who enjoyed a Hall of Fame career as the Steelers' quarterback during the team's 1970s dynasty.
"I'm not pulling for him, I can promise you that," Bradshaw said of Brown during an interview with Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I cannot emphasize how I cannot stand and have a disdain totally for players like that. I don't want any part of them. I wouldn't like them. They would hate me if they were on our team. They would hate me because I wouldn't throw to him.
"I will not put up with that kind of behavior. You don't win with it. Why haven't (the Steelers) won more Super Bowls? There is talent, (but) it's just guys like him. Let him go and his brand and whatever it is he's doing."
Brashaw threw to a pair of Hall of Fame receivers during his career in Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. While Brown surpassed both players in Pittsburgh's career record book, Swann and Stallworth combined to win eight Super Bowls, have their careers enshrined in Canton, Ohio, and are also members of the Steelers' Hall of Honor. While Brown's recent actions have jeopardized his future in Canton, his unceremonious departure from Pittsburgh all but ended his chances at future enshrinement in Pittsburgh's Hall of Honor.
Despite the loss of Brown, Bradshaw believes that the Steelers will eventually figure out how to win without him. Pittsburgh, following a 33-3 loss to a Brown-less Patriots team in Week 1, will try to rebound at home this Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
"Let's just sit back, let's (not) all scream and holler and look at it and go nuts and wonder what's wrong," Bradshaw said of the Steelers. "Let this thing slowly evolve, and it will. I believe it truly will. As long as you've got the quarterback. They're not looking for a quarterback. They've got their quarterback."
Their "quarterback," future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, has elected to forgo saying anything further about Brown after Brown again went after him via social media late last month. While Big Ben is steering clear of the topic, Bradshaw decided to get his opinion on Brown out in the open.
"Winning football games is all about the team and all about players caring about one another and everybody pulling together, not pulling apart," Bradshaw said. "You can't have Antonio Brown for all the greatness that they are, do you want the baggage that goes with that crap? I wouldn't.
"I'm glad they got rid of him and I'm upset now that I know how he got away … (what) he was doing there. I wish the heck they would have gotten rid of him a long time ago."