Antonio Brown signed a six-year, $43MM deal with the Steelers prior to the 2012 season. Despite leading the NFL in receiving yards last season, the average annual value of the 27-year-old’s contract ranks 14th among wideouts.
While some of his peers would hold out for a new contract, Brown told Gilberto Manzano of NFL.com that that’s not the best route.
“Holdouts never go well,” said Brown. “Just look at history. It always ends badly. It wouldn’t be the best decision. I make a lot of money. I pull up to camp in Rolls-Royces.”
Even with Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas signing lucrative deals this past offseason, Brown isn’t focused on any future payday.
“You know you get caught up thinking about the future you lose sight of the present,” he said. “What I’m here to do today is to show how hard I’ve been working, showcase I can still be the best in the world and help my team win football games.”
Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC North…
- Following news that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti was among those pushing commissioner Roger Goodell to keep Tom Brady‘s full four-game suspension, the 55-year-old denied the report. “I have not and will not put any pressure on the Commissioner or anyone representing the NFL office to take action in what everyone is calling ‘Deflategate,'” Bisciotti said in a statement. “The story circulating that I have put pressure on Roger (Goodell) is 100% wrong. The reports are unfair to Robert Kraft, who is an honorable person, and to his franchise. Let’s talk about football and the start of training camps. Fans and people like me want the issue resolved now.”
- It was Browns CEO Joe Banner‘s decision to spend big money on 2013 free agents Paul Kruger and Desmond Bryant, Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com writes. Since then, Cleveland’s big moves have been made by general manager Ray Farmer, including the additions of Donte Whitner, Karlos Dansby and Dwayne Bowe.
- A desire to have more depth on the offensive line was part of Farmer’s decision to draft Cameron Erving in the first round, Pluto notes.