Pittsburgh Steelers fans tend to have very mixed feelings about former star wide receiver, Antonio Brown. He was nothing short of exceptional on the field, which made the decline of his career that much harder to watch. Since demanding a trade in 2018 and going to the then-Oakland Raiders, Brown's commentary has been all over the map. It was reported that he had disagreements with his former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, before he left the Steelers, but since then, he has frequently spoken highly of the future Hall of Famer.
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Former Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger watches Antonio Brown catch a pass.
Now Brown is speaking up again, and this time, it is nothing but love for the 18-year veteran. Brown recently joined Jason Whitlock on his podcast, Fearless. Whitlock asked Brown about his time with Roethlisberger. Brown had high praise, considering he also played with the undisputed GOAT, Tom Brady.
"I feel like Ben Roethlisberger is the best quarterback I ever [played] with. Like as far as the skill level and the skillset and the tangibles of what we was able to do. I did some stuff and Ben, he already knew what I was going to do, or he just throw the ball and laugh because he knew. Ben is one of my best teammates. He was a great teammate."
Brown recalled fondly of some of those times in the early days of his career. Roethlisberger had already been with the Steelers for several seasons when Brown was drafted in the sixth round in 2010.
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Steelers WR Antonio Brown with QB Ben Roethlisberger.
He reminisced about the two of them smoking cigars at the top of St. Vincent College in Latrobe during training camp and the five times they went to the Pro Bowl together (including the good times they had during the three years it was in Honolulu, HI). He described how they would have cookouts at Roethlisberger's house, swim in the pool, and play pick-up basketball games.
According to Brown, they felt like kindred spirits. Roethlisberger had experienced scrutiny early in his career when the media and fans criticized him and picked apart his life. Brown felt he could relate to this; they were both "marquee" players under the spotlight. This helped them forge a family-like bond.
"Big Ben was always a bright spot for me at the Steelers and was somebody that always uplifted me, was there for me as a big brother," shared Brown. "I was one of those players that was able to get open with him, able to come to his house, have that fellowship with him."
The fact that they had both been through difficult times was something they were able to bond over according to Brown. It wasn't all about the glitz and glamor of being a professional athlete.
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Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown at the Pro Bowl.
He said that playing with Roethlisberger was fun, and they had a lot of amazing moments, but he remembers the conversations that people don't even know happened the most.
"I feel like we had a lot more moments than people realize and my last conversation before I left the Steelers was with Big Ben," said Brown. "I was telling him I was frustrated, but he was really on some 'AB man, people don't really hate you.' He was telling me don't focus on the small 5% of the media people trying to take you down. He was giving me some big brother knowledge in regards of what he had to go through, how he had to reshape himself from the scrutiny. He was there for me as a big brother."
Brown admits now that he probably should have been more vulnerable, opened up more to Roethlisberger, and allowed himself to consider options. Instead, he said he already had one foot out of the door, thinking about leaving Pittsburgh. That doesn't change the fact that Roethlisberger was a "bright spot," someone who "uplifted" him.
While Brown wasn't able to secure the Super Bowl victory with the Steelers that he wanted, he was able to get one with his fourth team in three years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brown made a big impression on Brady during his brief stop with the New England Patriots, and the quarterback managed to convince him to go to Tampa and play with him and his old coach, Bruce Arians.
Steelers' Antonio Brown Feels Slighted By Pittsburgh
Recently the Steelers announced that someone else would be wearing the number 84 in Pittsburgh. The team signed Cordarrelle Patterson, the speedy return man last with the Atlanta Falcons, to help give the Steelers an advantage with the new kickoff rule. Patterson wore the number when he was with the Falcons and the Steelers are allowing him to keep it.
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Cordarrelle Patterson evading tacklers during a game with the Atlanta Falcons.
Brown immediately took to social media to express his displeasure as his number was being given out. He believes several numbers are not retired, but should be, including 7, 43, and his own 84.
The Steelers are not known for retiring numbers officially, having only retired three -- Ernie Stautner #70, Joe Greene #75 and most recently, Franco Harris #32. There are many numbers that are considered unofficially retired, such as 7, 12, 58, and 86. That last one is part of what upsets Brown so much. If Hines Ward's number is off-limits, then he feels he should be as well. Brown will tell anyone who will listen about how much of a better player he was than Ward.
