Still Curtain
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30 greatest Pittsburgh Steelers of the 2000s

By Tommy Jaggi

PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Safety Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown with defensive end Brett Keisel against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH - JANUARY 18: Safety Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown with defensive end Brett Keisel against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the AFC championship game on January 18, 2009 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 09: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 09: Antonio Brown #84 of the Pittsburgh Steelers carries the ball during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. Antonio Brown, WR (2010)

It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on Antonio Brown as the player who soiled the Steelers locker room and forced his way out of Pittsburgh (I am guilty of that myself). However, if we look past the personality and focus on the player, we should be able to appreciate the contributions Brown has made to the team.

Though he certainly wasn’t the most selfless player during his 9-year tenure with the Steelers, he was undeniably good at his craft. Brown exploded as a 23-year old wide-out back in 2011 with a 1,100-yard season. He was also an added weapon in the return game – chewing up nearly 11 yards per punt return and taking one back to the house.

After a minor setback in 2012, Brown became one of the most recognized receivers in the league in 2013 with 110 catches for nearly 1,500 yards and 8 touchdowns.

He followed that up with two of the best seasons the NFL has seen from the receiver position since Jerry Rice – averaging over 130 receptions,1,750 yards and 11 touchdowns between 2014 and 2015.

Compiling stats as a receiver is a two-way street, and it takes a good quarterback to get a good receiver of the ball. Still, Antonio Brown earned most of the targets that came his way and has developed into one of the best route runners and sideline receivers the NFL has seen.

Brown didn’t leave the Steelers on good terms, and his name will spark some unpleasant memories. However, there is no denying just how good Antonio Brown was in his prime for the Steelers.

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