Is there more to Antonio Brown than meets the eye?
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver has a pretty positive reputation around the NFL, A) because he’s arguably the best player at his position, and B) because he never seems to be in a bad mood.
Brown’s outwardly sunny disposition is part of what made Sunday’s sideline tantrum so surprising. But former teammate Ryan Clark isn’t fooled. The Steelers cornerback-turned-ESPN analyst offered a sharp critique of Brown on Wednesday during an appearance on ESPN Radio.
“Antonio has done an extremely good job of tricking people,” Clark said, via Pro Football Talk. “He’s done a very good spin job of having us think, or making people think who don’t know him, that it’s all about the Pittsburgh Steelers, (Brown is) just a hard worker who’s here to win football games.
“No, Antonio Brown loves Antonio Brown. If you listen to people talk about him. If you listen to the media, a lot of time the fans, they have an adoration for him that is not necessarily a depiction of who he is. He’s like most receivers. He’s selfish.”
That’s quite the indictment from Clark, who spent four years sharing a locker room with Brown from 2010 to 2013 and probably knows what he’s talking about.
Of course, this isn’t Brown’s first dust-up; the All-Pro wide receiver posted a pretty ill-advised Facebook Live video from Pittsburgh’s locker room last postseason that drew the ire of head coach Mike Tomlin, then reportedly was accused of chasing stats the following weekend in a loss to the New England Patriots.
Brown’s antics typically have blown over in the past, but he might be on thinner ice now after Clark’s strong words.
Thumbnail photo via Scott R. Galvin/USA TODAY Sports Images
