AB returning kicks

I know a lot of people want to be safe with Brown and not use him in special teams, but when he returns kicks, it ends up in a lot of huge special teams plays. I think he should be given the job back tbh, especially against the Bengals and Broncos where big plays will be harder to come by against those defenses. Thoughts?

Its a good question to bring up. Is the risk worth the benefits? I'd like to see them give Wheaton a chance as well. Obviously brown is probably the most qualified but...eh Id just hate to see him get hurt returning a punt when more than likely there are other players on the team more capable than jones or archer.

ImperialFan wrote:

Its a good question to bring up. Is the risk worth the benefits? I'd like to see them give Wheaton a chance as well. Obviously brown is probably the most qualified but...eh Id just hate to see him get hurt returning a punt when more than likely there are other players on the team more capable than jones or archer.

How many players actually get hurt returning punts though compared to playing WR on offense? Just curious if there's an actual stat on that. I'm sure a special teams TD against the Bengals or Broncos, or a return to set up a scoring drive would be huge against those teams that are already tough to score on.

I did like Wheaton returning kickoffs a few years ago though, but not sure if he's able to return punts, AB might have to be that guy.

I trust AB. He seems to have a good sense in how to fall and when to run out of bounds. I wish he could teach it to Big Ben. I feel like everytime Big Ben gets tackled, his body twists into a pretzel.

I don't have a problem with it as it's been the status quo for so long with no ill-effect, but I would rather put Wheaton back there and see how he handles it since he probably takes substantially less offensive reps, and he has great ball control and vision. Wheaton would be a solid PR/KR for us.


Regarding Brown getting injured with his antics: I think a lot of us are underestimating what kind of shape Antonio Brown is in. His conditioning and training is ridiculous, and I think he's only able to do these things he does because of his crazy athletic training and conditioning.

Now, if Ben tried to do what AB did last night? He would slip a few discs, fracture a rib and probably be concussed.

OX1947 wrote:

I trust AB. He seems to have a good sense in how to fall and when to run out of bounds. I wish he could teach it to Big Ben. I feel like everytime Big Ben gets tackled, his body twists into a pretzel.

Yeah same, Brown has been able to stay healthy his career so far, IMO because of the Barry Sanders effect. The guy is so quick and elusive that defenders can't really seem to stick him with a good shot.

And like you said, he knows when to get down or get out of bounds. With all his athletic talent, he's also a really smart player, other than his retarded celebrations.

Fire Arians wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

I trust AB. He seems to have a good sense in how to fall and when to run out of bounds. I wish he could teach it to Big Ben. I feel like everytime Big Ben gets tackled, his body twists into a pretzel.

Yeah same, Brown has been able to stay healthy his career so far, IMO because of the Barry Sanders effect. The guy is so quick and elusive that defenders can't really seem to stick him with a good shot.

And like you said, he knows when to get down or get out of bounds. With all his athletic talent, he's also a really smart player, other than his retarded celebrations.

Kordell Stewart, like AB, was really good at minimizing hits due to his elusiveness. Kordell would have been one helluva WR.

Fire Arians wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Its a good question to bring up. Is the risk worth the benefits? I'd like to see them give Wheaton a chance as well. Obviously brown is probably the most qualified but...eh Id just hate to see him get hurt returning a punt when more than likely there are other players on the team more capable than jones or archer.

How many players actually get hurt returning punts though compared to playing WR on offense? Just curious if there's an actual stat on that. I'm sure a special teams TD against the Bengals or Broncos, or a return to set up a scoring drive would be huge against those teams that are already tough to score on.

I did like Wheaton returning kickoffs a few years ago though, but not sure if he's able to return punts, AB might have to be that guy.

I thought about that as well. Not very many from what I recall

fuck it, lets just keep AB there, its light night and day between him and anyone else we've tried. We will end up with better field position. Do it up.

It's the sort of thing for me where I love to see his talent returning the punts but I always hold my breath a little. Every game I see him play it amazes me more that this guy lasted until the 6th round. Also very glad they weren't able to resign Wallace

Wasnt Wheaton our kick returner last year for a little while? He didn't seem to do enough. I think AB could do it all with no problems.

The more I think about it Brown should be our all time kick/ punt returner. He is that good. More risk? so what? He is probably the best return man in the league... as opposed to archer or jones? Fuck it Keep brown there for the rest of the season. I'm on board.

I have the feeling if AB does get hurt returning kicks it will be by an inanimate object.

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

That is amazing!

At this point in the season, we need to have the best players at each position playing as much as they can. In a different game, AB's play could have been a game changer.

Situational return man should be his designation. When we need him, put him back there returning everything.

SteelersYak wrote:

At this point in the season, we need to have the best players at each position playing as much as they can.  In a different game, AB's play could have been a game changer.

Agreed, AB is kinda like Deion Sanders, A great player who was too good of a playmaker to just play one position.

AB is so talented. One of the best all around football players of all time. By the time his career is over I think he will have compiled enough to be a Jerry Rice type HOFer. He is in such good shape, just never gets hurt, has all the moves. Hes the man for the job. Hell He threw a pretty nice touchdown pass against the Texans last year. Brown is a fucking machine!

Used to be against AB returning punts due to fear of injury and potential loss of our best receiver.
No more.
I'm all in.....he can turn a game around in one play....no sense holding back now.

ImperialFan wrote:

AB is so talented. One of the best all around football players of all time. By the time his career is over I think he will have compiled enough to be a Jerry Rice type HOFer. He is in such good shape, just never gets hurt, has all the moves. Hes the man for the job. Hell He threw a pretty nice touchdown pass against the Texans last year. Brown is a fucking machine!

He's just so impressive. I remember his first big catch in the playoffs against the Ravens. That alone was a nice moment from a 6th rounder. What he's done since then is unreal.

Tomlin and Ben not on the same page once again  

During Tuesday's news conference, Tomlin had this exchange with a reporter about using a high-priced and highly productive receiver as a punt returner:

Question: Do the rewards outweigh the risks when you have two starting wide receivers as the return guys?

Answer: “Yes.”

Q: It doesn't concern you?

A: “No.”...

“Well, putting him back there for fun, he may take it to the house, but it is also an extra play on the field where there are 11 guys running down the field while he is looking up in the air to try to kill him,” Roethlisberger said Tuesday on his weekly radio segment on 93.7 FM. “To me, that's where I get more worried about putting my top two receivers back in punt return and kick return. As long as they don't get hurt, I am OK with it. My concern is losing one of my top two receivers.”

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9591515-74/steelers-punt-jones#ixzz3tpszYwJu0

May be news to Bryant that Wheaton is one of Ben's top two receivers

Atlanta Dan wrote:

Tomlin and Ben not on the same page once again  

During Tuesday's news conference, Tomlin had this exchange with a reporter about using a high-priced and highly productive receiver as a punt returner:

Question: Do the rewards outweigh the risks when you have two starting wide receivers as the return guys?

Answer: “Yes.”

Q: It doesn't concern you?

A: “No.”...

“Well, putting him back there for fun, he may take it to the house, but it is also an extra play on the field where there are 11 guys running down the field while he is looking up in the air to try to kill him,” Roethlisberger said Tuesday on his weekly radio segment on 93.7 FM. “To me, that's where I get more worried about putting my top two receivers back in punt return and kick return. As long as they don't get hurt, I am OK with it. My concern is losing one of my top two receivers.”

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/9591515-74/steelers-punt-jones#ixzz3tpszYwJu0

May be news to Bryant that Wheaton is one of Ben's top two receivers

I could see it. Wheaton doesn't have as much big play potential that Bryant has, but Wheaton is more sure handed. I can never figure out why Bryant catches the hard throws but the easy, very makeable catches he drops 50% of the time. If wheat is open and the throw is on target, it's almost automatic he makes the grab.

Antonio Brown fined $11, 576 for TD celebration

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/12/steelers-antonio-brown-fined-goal-post-celebration/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

Antonio Brown fined $11, 576 for TD celebration

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/12/steelers-antonio-brown-fined-goal-post-celebration/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

a fine?!?!......seriously?