Steelers' Antonio Brown Confronted Kevin Colbert By Announcing To The Entire Team That He Was The Franchise Player

The Pittsburgh Steelers fielded one of the most dangerous trios in the NFL with Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. With all his off-the-field antics, Brown has become more infamous for his issues with the law and tabloid headlines than for his football career. During the peak of Brown's Steelers' playing time, though, few were better at the game, and Brown wasn't afraid to let everyone know it, too.

Steelers' Kevin Colbert Saw Brown's Ridiculous Confidence Up Close

During an amazing stretch that spanned from 2013 until 2018, Brown was the best at what he did and backed up all his talk on the field. He had six consecutive Pro Bowl trips, four All-Pro nods, and never had less than 101 catches and 1,284 yards in a season. For all the distractions that came with him, Brown certainly made those years well worth it.

Brown was on VladTV to discuss both his football and off-the-field life. According to Brown, during the 2012 season that ended up being the launching point for that awesome span, he had no qualms about speaking his mind to anyone. Brown was asked about rumors that he would get into confrontations with his coaches, and that led to a story about how Brown liked to use former General Manager Kevin Colbert to get his point across.

"Usually when I'm having a big game, you know, I always like to feel full of confidence, so I used to go to Kevin Colbert, GM, you know, in front of the locker room, and just ask him in front of everybody, like out loud, 'Like, yo, am I the franchise player or what?' And, you know, sometimes he, you know, he gave me that confidence, like shaking his head, you know."

When Mike Wallace decided that he was worth more than the Steelers' 2012 offer, he chose to test the waters of free agency. As a result of that decision, the Steelers handed most of Wallace's offer to Brown, which ended up being a five-year deal for $42.5 million. From that moment, Brown didn't look back, setting the NFL on fire for the next six years. While quarterbacks are usually referred to as the franchise player, Brown knew what he was saying to Colbert and backed it up.

The fall from grace was steep, as Brown went from a consistent All-Pro to being traded for third and fifth-round draft picks. Considering what Brown accomplished during his incredible run, ending up having that low of a value shows the distance from where he had been to where he was. Despite all the statistics and sideline catches, Brown will probably be remembered as a cautionary tale for stars with issues that can't be kept under control.

Steelers Hoping For Pickens To Follow Part Of Brown's Example

When the Steelers selected George Pickens in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, they believed they had gotten themselves a steal. After two productive seasons, Pickens seems to have all the makings of a star receiver. However, there is one part of his game that Pittsburgh wishes wouldn't follow in Brown's footsteps.

During the 2023 season, Pickens came under fire for what was seen as maturity issues. The second-year receiver was consistently frustrated with the stagnant offense that the team fielded each week, and it came out in emotional ways. He was criticized for a lack of effort on a blocking play against the Indianapolis Colts as well.

For Steelers' fans who watched Brown go from a true NFL superstar to a shirtless jog off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pickens' behavior is at least a little concerning. The hope was that veteran Allen Robinson II would be the kind of locker-room presence to help players like Pickens, but that influence didn't seem to be there much. With Robinson being a possible cap-saving cut ahead of 2024, Pittsburgh could once again be needing a solid personality to held rein in Pickens.

Pickens has shown an incredible ability to fight for the ball at its highest point, a truly desirable trait in the NFL. The question is whether the young receiver can tone down his distracting behavior and channel it into his on-the-field moments. If Pickens can find that sweet spot where his emotions become fuel rather than a hindrance, perhaps fans in Pittsburgh will finally get to see what Brown's career should have looked like.

Will George Pickens ever surpass Antonio Brown on the Steelers' stat sheet?