2019 Steelers Offseason/Draft Thread

[NailedPenguin]

AB liked a tweet that said "F*** Ben." What a guy.

[dodint]

One last gasp of drama for tbe season I guess.

[NTP66]

Apparently a knee contusion. So, could be a lot worse.

[shafnutz05]

It's official. Keith Butler the new LB coach!

[dodint]

What week are you posting from?

[blackjack68]

I posted this as a rumor a couple weeks ago, but it became official today.

[shafnutz05]

I posted this as a rumor a couple weeks ago, but it became official today.

[slappybrown]

https://twitter.com/kdpomp/status/10911 ... 18305?s=21

He seems...unwell

[Ad@m]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/steelers-l ... 56827.html

In pointed comments to The Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast with Charles Robinson and Terez Paylor, Ward said he’s not happy with the drama in Pittsburgh. He’s not happy to hear what has become of the culture there and singled out coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Considering Ward played for Tomlin and with Roethlisberger and was a part of championship teams with each of them, the criticism means a little more.

“To me it all starts with the head coach Mike Tomlin,” Ward told The Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast from Super Bowl radio row. “When you give some leniency with players based on whatever, you’re only fining them — a player can only do what you allow them to do.”

That’s in regard to Antonio Brown, whose antics in Week 17 led to him being benched for the season finale.

“The circus and the culture that has been provided now, that’s not the standard of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Ward said. “We’re talking more about the Steelers off the field than on the field. That’s very unusual. We have to have some rules and regulation from Mike Tomlin to delegate down to the players knowing not one player isn’t bigger than the team.”

Ward also had comments about Brown, who he said is being paid “tons of dollars not just for your performance on the field but your leadership within the locker room.” But he said the Steelers’ issues are not just about Brown, even though most of the attention has been on him.

Ward also had criticism for Roethlisberger, his quarterback for eight seasons in Pittsburgh.

“For Pittsburgh, for all the talent they have, they beat the Patriots in the regular season, to miss the playoffs? That’s a reflection of the head coach and the players,” Ward said. “It’s not just all about AB’s shenanigans. Ben Roethlisberger, when you have a radio show, you can’t critique players in the open. We had one motto when I was playing, it was, ‘Keep my name out your mouth in the media.’ Whatever you say to the media, you can talk to me as a grown man.”

Ward was referencing Roethlisberger calling out teammates, including Brown, on the radio this past season. He said that’s a reflection of the leadership with the team.

“The problem is, who is the player who is policing it?” Ward told The Yahoo Sports NFL Podcast. “If you look at Ben Roethlsberger and you have that ‘C’ on your chest and you’re calling people out in the media? Well, what are the younger guys going to do? Call people out.

“Think about it. Le’Veon Bell didn’t show up to camp. What’s the first thing all the offensive linemen did? Talked about his money. Remember my motto: Keep my name out your mouth when it comes to media. They could have easily said, ‘Hey, he’s isn’t here, it’s a business decision, we’re going to move on.’ That’s all they had to say. But when you start talking about my money, you’re taking personal shots at me.”

Ward voiced a complaint that has been heard often from Steelers fans: The team has had great talent, but hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl with this core.

“Talent wise, we have way more talent than the Patriots,” Ward told Robinson and Paylor. “But it’s the way Coach [Bill] Belichick and the New England Patriots run their organization. It’s not the same for the Pittsburgh Steelers right now.

“It starts with the coach, it starts with Ben Roethlisberger, you’re the captain.”

These are things that have been said regarding the Steelers, and some go back to before this past season. But to come from Ward, one of the most popular players in team history, should really sting.

[slappybrown]

more like whines hard imo

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

https://twitter.com/kdpomp/status/10911 ... 18305?s=21

He seems...unwell

He looks high as a kite

[NailedPenguin]

Wonder how on-time he showed up to the video game festival relative to when kids with cancer are waiting to see him.

[Lemon Berry Lobster]

How many cameras?

[shafnutz05]

https://twitter.com/kdpomp/status/10911 ... 18305?s=21

He seems...unwell

Goodness--he is stoned out of his mind IMO. Maybe not weed, but something.

Also, he's rocking the Hulk Hogan stache.

[shafnutz05]

more like whines hard imo

He's not really wrong with most of what he said, sadly.

[willeyeam]

is AB losing it or appearing to lose it purposefully to get a trade made quickly

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

ward, cowher, and bettis have chimed in this week

personally, im waiting for dan krieder to chime in before passing judgement

[NTP66]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/anto ... -nfc-team/

The tumult between disgruntled receiver Antonio Brown and the Steelers has only continued to grow, with Brown recently reiterating his trade demands via agent Drew Rosenhaus, sources said. Meanwhile, the Steelers continue to plan for a transition tag for running back Le'Veon Bell, who skipped all of last season...

The latest series of negative interactions with Brown, a potential future Hall of Famer, have only served to quash the already fleeting feeling within the organization that some compromise could be reached. While a trade has long looked like the most likely outcome, several people who has been on contact with owner Art Rooney II said that ownership was in no hurry to facilitate trade talks in the event Brown might soften his stance and express contrition for his recent actions. If anything, the situation has only further deteriorated since the end of the regular season.
Super Bowl LIII is Sunday and you can stream it here on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App for free on most connected devices.

Brown has refused to return calls from Rooney and several others in the organization and has been telling Steelers teammates for weeks that he does not intend to ever play for the team again. Brown drew ire within the organization for skipping out on mandatory duties leading up to a must-win Week 17 game and being deactivated by coach Mike Tomlin because of it.

The Steelers have tolerated unusual behavior from Brown in the past, including failing to show up for meetings or required work days in the past and leaving training camp for a spell back in the summer as well. But things reached a head in Week 17, with the season on the line, and now his departure seems imminent, sources said.
With three years and just $39M left on his contract, Brown's contract would facilitate any trade, and the Steelers expect to talk to other teams in a few weeks at the scouting combine. There is no immediate rush to do a deal before then, and they remain hopeful of landing first-round value for him. They want to deal him out of the AFC and would not consider any trades with their biggest rivals, I'm told.

[Dickie Dunn]

Transition tag for Bell? What the **** is the point of that? Let him **** walk, trade Brown, and move on. Quit **** up your franchise Rooney.

[NTP66]

I just don’t get what they’re thinking in the front office.

[dodint]

Brown is a future HOF now? Don't want to have another agonizing Hall of Very Good discussion but that seems a bit lofty, premature to me.

[willeyeam]

Brown is a future HOF now? Don't want to have another agonizing Hall of Very Good discussion but that seems a bit lofty, premature to me.

He could retire today and be a HOFer

[dodint]

Alrighty.

[NTP66]

To be fair, the article did state potential future HoFer. I think he's got a good shot at getting in based on his career thus far, personally.

[Viva la Ben]

Antonio Brown reportedly involved in domestic dispute.
Plz go