This probably isn't how Antonio Brown envisioned his departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, the new Oakland Raiders' wide receiver is doing all he can to make the best of a bad situation while leaving the team and town that propelled him to superstardom.
On Wednesday, Brown unveiled multiple billboards across Pittsburgh thanking Steelers Nation for his nine seasons with the team.
Antonio Brown purchased billboards around Pittsburgh to thank #SteelerNation. pic.twitter.com/io8IdRmS2J
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) March 14, 2019
The six-time Pro Bowler was traded to Oakland over the weekend in exchange for third and fifth-round picks in the upcoming NFL draft. The writing had been on the wall for his time in Pittsburgh for over a month, ever since Brown publicly requested a trade. Though Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert initially deflected attention from the request by insisting the team had no plans to trade Brown, a subsequent meeting between he and owner Art Rooney II made abundantly clear that it was only a matter of time until the Central Michigan product was dealt.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock sang Brown's praises on Wednesday, calling him the “best receiver in football” and one of the hardest working players of all time. For his part, Brown stressed that he will do all he can to change the culture in Oakland, using actions not words to foster “accountability” within the team, which went 4-12 last season.
Brown, 30, signed a three-year, $50.1 million contract with Oakland upon the trade becoming official. He had 104 catches, 1,297 yards, and a league-leading 15 touchdowns last season for the Steelers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
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