Report: Bruce Arians wanted to cut Antonio Brown before his rookie season

For those who follow Antonio Brown on social media, his posts have seemed rather out of character lately. Along with some cryptic one-liners shared on Twitter, Brown appeared to call out Bruce Arians for some less-than-complimentary remarks made by his former offensive coordinator.

Without any context, Brown’s post seemed rather random, but it turns out there might be a backstory to his comments after all. According to Bob Labriola of Steelers.com, Arians was not necessarily as enamored with Brown as the rest of the coaching staff in 2010. Viewing the rookie sixth-round draft pick as someone he could live without, Arians apparently suggested releasing Brown during the final round of cuts that year.

https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2018/06/08/report-former-pittsburgh-steelers-offensive-coordinator-bruce-arians-wanted-to-cut-antonio-brown-before-his-rookie-season/amp/

Interesting, I didn't know there was ever a rift between the two.

I'd say Arians was definitely in the wrong, Brown is easily the best receiver in the game. My guess is that Arians probably recognized some of Brown's egocentric behaviors and didn't want anything to do with it. Maybe try to be a role model to the kid instead of trying to cut him. That's what good/great coaches do. Brown isn't perfect, but nobody is.

BA had his favorites and apparently AB wasn't one of them. I'm glad he didn't get his way. What a waste that would have been. Imagine him going to the Ravens with the great Joe Flacco.

Seriously though watching him torch us every time he played against us would be terrible.

Well it seems Brown now has the last laugh. B.A. I am surprised as usually he comes off a likable fellow.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Interesting, I didn't know there was ever a rift between the two.

I'd say Arians was definitely in the wrong, Brown is easily the best receiver in the game. My guess is that Arians probably recognized some of Brown's egocentric behaviors and didn't want anything to do with it. Maybe try to be a role model to the kid instead of trying to cut him. That's what good/great coaches do. Brown isn't perfect, but nobody is.

keep in mind this article is talking about browns ROOKIE year, and arians only had that summer of practices to evaluate brown. i don't recall who was on the roster , or competing for a roster spot back then , but i guess arians must have thought somebody else had a better camp. hind sight is always 20/20 ...

ok i found the training camp roster..

Wide Receivers

   81 Arnaz Battle
   84 Antonio Brown
   19 Tyler Grisham
   15 Brandon London
   82 Antwaan Randle El
   88 Emmanuel Sanders
   17 Mike Wallace
   86 Hines Ward
   14 Isaiah Williams

so browns competition for the 6th receiver spot was grisham , london, and williams. none panned out in the NFL. london had a career in the CFL.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Interesting, I didn't know there was ever a rift between the two.

I'd say Arians was definitely in the wrong, Brown is easily the best receiver in the game. My guess is that Arians probably recognized some of Brown's egocentric behaviors and didn't want anything to do with it. Maybe try to be a role model to the kid instead of trying to cut him. That's what good/great coaches do. Brown isn't perfect, but nobody is.

keep in mind this article is talking about browns ROOKIE year, and arians only had that summer of practices to evaluate brown. i don't recall who was on the roster , or competing for a roster spot back then , but i guess arians must have thought somebody else had a better camp. hind sight is always 20/20 ...

ok i found the training camp roster..

Wide Receivers

   81 Arnaz Battle
   84 Antonio Brown
   19 Tyler Grisham
   15 Brandon London
   82 Antwaan Randle El
   88 Emmanuel Sanders
   17 Mike Wallace
   86 Hines Ward
   14 Isaiah Williams

so browns competition for the 6th receiver spot was grisham , london, and williams. none panned out in the NFL. london had a career in the CFL.

Yeah, I agree with this thinking. A 6th round pick is always going to seem expendable rookie season when making final cuts. I'd hate to think of AB as one of those infamous 'one that got away" stories and for us to have missed what he's brought to us on the field.

Look at that roster of WRs though...this team is incredible finding and developing WR talent. Veteran borderline HOF in Ward, Wallace (who was better in Pittsburgh than anywhere else), Sanders who made it big in Denver, a young Brown, another quality veteran in El...all drafted by the Steelers. I am always relieved Wallace went crazy with salary demands, Miami got him, and Steelers focused on keeping AB. It's funny how these things work out in the end..I wonder who Bell's replacement is and if we'll end up with someone we're happer with there too.

guess that's why BA got his walking papers, he was a step to Haley to Finchner. BA had the money crew WRs that the Steelers couldn't keep together. the only reason BA had an offense was Larry Fitzgerald Pittsburgh south.

after Cowher left the offense got old fast but the defense was there still there what really made LeBeau's defense really work was Troy P that was a SS/ FS center fielder

Antonio Brown returns, speaks and vents: 'I can’t really express myself in this game'

RAY FITTIPALDO
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
JUN 12, 2018

Antonio Brown insists he doesn’t have beef with Mike Tomlin or Bruce Arians. He skipped some voluntary spring practices to spend time with his family, and he blames the media for many of his problems. That’s the CliffsNotes version from Brown’s session with reporters Tuesday afternoon before the Steelers’ first minicamp practice.

But there was plenty of room for interpretation and reading between the lines, too. Some of it made sense and some didn’t. It was quintessential Brown in that way.

In another way, a new Antonio Brown seemed to debut. He spoke freely. He questioned authority figures. In general, he appeared disappointed in himself that he toed the company line for so many years.

But first the news:

to read rest of article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2018/06/12/Antonio-Brown-I-started-to-think-to-myself-Am-I-really-free-I-can-t-really-express-myself-in-this-game/stories/201806120094

Quote :

Brown was upset that his comments also caused friction with his teammates, and he said the constant media spotlight has had a negative effect on his private life.

this coming from possibly the biggest attention whore on the team. if he doesn't want the attention then hand the ball to the ref instead of show boating and getting the team penalties.
perhaps he might even wanna cut back on the social media , instead of filming the locker room.
just play the fucking game and act like your just doing your job instead of celebrating every play to make sure you get the maximum amount of camera time.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Interesting, I didn't know there was ever a rift between the two.

I'd say Arians was definitely in the wrong, Brown is easily the best receiver in the game. My guess is that Arians probably recognized some of Brown's egocentric behaviors and didn't want anything to do with it. Maybe try to be a role model to the kid instead of trying to cut him. That's what good/great coaches do. Brown isn't perfect, but nobody is.

keep in mind this article is talking about browns ROOKIE year, and arians only had that summer of practices to evaluate brown. i don't recall who was on the roster , or competing for a roster spot back then , but i guess arians must have thought somebody else had a better camp. hind sight is always 20/20 ...

ok i found the training camp roster..

Wide Receivers

   81 Arnaz Battle
   84 Antonio Brown
   19 Tyler Grisham
   15 Brandon London
   82 Antwaan Randle El
   88 Emmanuel Sanders
   17 Mike Wallace
   86 Hines Ward
   14 Isaiah Williams

so browns competition for the 6th receiver spot was grisham , london, and williams. none panned out in the NFL. london had a career in the CFL.

Very good point MoP. I could definitely see where he might've liked Manny Sanders over Brown at that point and time with both being rooks.