Steelers Back to School, Brown Hypocrite, Don’t Overreact

The 2015 NFL Draft is just a few days away and offseason workout programs are starting across the league. While the Steelers get ready to build their big board and head out on the practice fields we’ll be busy looking for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Tuesday, April 21^st.

Back at it again

The Steelers 2015 season has officially arrived. Well, in part. Teresa Varley explains how the turnout was very good for the first day of Phase One of the offseason workout program. Phase One, under the CBA can only entail strength and conditioning as well as physical rehabilitation activities.

Even though the OTAs at this point are voluntary, the Steelers enjoyed seeing the turnout and getting back at it with their teammates.

"“It’s definitely good to be back. It’s like coming back to school. I am glad to be in Pittsburgh. I am excited for football. It’s been a while. We are starting to work now.” – Markus Wheaton"

Brown’s holdout threat hypocritical

I’ll have to admit that when I first heard of the idea, first reported by Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports that Antonio Brown was not attending the voluntary OTAs and is planning a holdout for a new contract my initial thought was, “yeah, he probably outplayed the terms of his contract, I don’t blame him.” But after giving it more thought, I just can’t see where he could be coming from. He’s got to be getting some really awful advice if this is the road he’s planning to go down.

Dejan Kovacevic of DK on Pittsburgh Sports reminds us of Brown’s own words when he signed his current contract, to which he still has three years remaining.

"“What I do realize is that I’ve been given a great opportunity to be around an organization that is really special. I’m really honored and thankful about that. All I can do now is work to give them my best as long as I’m here.” – Antonio Brown, in 2012"

Brown said this in the press conference to announce his contract extension in 2012, the extension he was offered instead of Mike Wallace, who was holding out for big money. Wallace ended up leaving in free agency for Miami, because the Steelers don’t give in to holdouts, and proceeded to sign for big bucks before fizzling out and getting traded this offseason for a bag of Dorito crumbs to the Vikings.

Brown has got to know how this ends, right?

Too early to panic

ESPN Steelers reporter Scott Brown says that it’s way too early to start freaking out about the lack of Antonio Brown at Steelers voluntary OTAs. Even though Brown hasn’t missed a voluntary OTA in any of his previous seasons with the team, Scott Brown reminds us that AB has little-to-no leverage on the Steelers with three years left on his current deal.

He explains that the Steelers can’t fine AB for his no-show until the mandatory minicamps in mid-June and there’s still plenty of time between now and training camp for him to realize that the Steelers aren’t going to budge on the contract because it’s just not how they operate.

One thing that is universal from the guys who cover the team closely is how consistent and intense AB’s work ethic is. He’s the first one to enter the building and the last one to leave and he keeps himself in spectacular shape. Scott Brown even suggests that his nature to workout and prepare may have him ending this “holdout” premature anyway.

Next: Where Will Steelers Brown End Up?

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