Antonio Brown has once again publicly addressed his issues with the Pittsburgh Steelers, this time accusing the organization of betraying him after JuJu Smith-Schuster was voted the team’s MVP in 2018 instead of him.
Speaking during a passionate livestream on TikTok on Sunday, Brown argued that Pittsburgh intentionally undermined him while attempting to elevate a younger player. He criticized the decision to honor someone he blamed for hurting the team’s season.
Thanks for the submission!
“The guy who didn’t wanna make better than me, fumbled our whole season, and they still gave him the MVP because they didnt wanna give me the 5th one in a row,” Brown said. “Imagine if the NFL hates on you like that. What would you do if your own team betrays you?
•
“They tried to make the number two be better than you. Yalla bye! Go sleep, Steelers. How you give a guy who fumbled our season the fu**ing MVP? Know why? Because you’re jealous of AB… That would’ve been my fifth one. They let T.J. Watt pass me up on MVPs for the Steelers.”
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Although Brown’s Steelers tenure ended on a turbulent note in 2019, he remained one of the league’s biggest offensive threats during the 2018 campaign. However, Smith-Schuster produced more consistent numbers over the course of the regular season.
Smith-Schuster totaled 111 catches, 1,426 receiving yards and seven touchdowns that season, while Brown posted 104 receptions, 1,297 yards and a league-leading 15 touchdown catches.
However, Brown stood out as one of football’s most dangerous scoring outlets. His 15 touchdowns topped the NFL, and he frequently served as Ben Roethlisberger’s preferred target in critical situations, especially around the end zone and on broken plays.
After spending nine seasons with the Steelers and establishing himself as one of the NFL’s most dominant wide receivers of the 2010s, Brown eventually moved on from Pittsburgh following the 2018 season and joined the Oakland Raiders.
Antonio Brown expands criticism to another Ex-Steelers receiver
During the same TikTok Live rant, Antonio Brown also directed criticism toward former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall, while former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was also mentioned.
“I’ll slap Brandon Marshall,” Brown said. “…Ask Ben Roethlisberger how many touchdowns he held me back from. Ask him. You think I need a Hall of Fame award for you guys to know how great I am? I don’t need no awards. You can take the awards & shove it up your a**.”
What exactly sparked Brown’s criticism of Marshall remains unknown, though his latest rant did not come as much of a shock to many football fans. The seven-time Pro Bowler has long been associated with headlines and controversy.
At the same time, Brown was able to build a reputation only a few receivers can match. He recorded six consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards between 2013 and 2018, led the league in receiving yards twice in 2014 and 2017, and his 136 catches in 2015 were the second-most in a single season at that point in NFL history.
As a first-time eligible candidate for the Hall of Fame’s 2027 class, Brown’s candidacy is expected to generate major discussion, especially regarding whether his off-field history could affect his chances of earning a first-ballot selection.
Edited by Habib Timileyin