The Steelers started OTAs this week and as expected, little real news was to be had, save for the report that the Steelers are trying out Sutton Smith at running back.
But the real take away from Steelers OTA’s really didn’t shed light on anything new, but rather reaffirmed a truth everyone in Pittsburgh already knew:
- Ben Roethlisberger is a bigger man than Antonio Brown.
You know the drill by now. With the Steelers in a must-win situation to make the playoffs, Antonio Brown took umbrage at Ben Roethlisberger when he wanted to re-run a play during a walk through, and then went AWOL on his team.
Pictures don’t lie. Ben Roethlisberger is the bigger man than Antonio Brown. Photo Credit: Justin Berl, Getty Images via Deadspin
Maybe Antonio Brown was upset that JuJu Smith-Schuster had won the MVP award. Maybe it was all a Drew Rosenhaus ploy to get his client more money. We don’t know and we’ll probably never know for sure.
- But rather than man up for his actions, Antonio Brown chose to blame it all on Big Ben.
Ben Roethlisberger had an “owner’s mentality.” Antonio Brown begun spinning the yarn, and the national media was only too happy to join in. Rashard Mendenhall called Ben a racist. Josh Harris, that erstwhile authority on all things Steelers, he of the 9 NFL carries, accused Ben Roethlisberger of fumbling intentionally to make Todd Haley look bad.
Emmanuel Sanders joined the pile on (although Sanders was also critical of Brown.) So did Hines Ward. And Dieon Sanders. And just about anyone else the national media could find.
- Through it all, Ben Roethlisberger kept his own counsel. Roethlisberger remained silent.
KDKA’s Bob Pompeani interviewed Ben Roethlisberger right before OTAs were set to start. Big Ben finally had a chance to strike back.
- Instead, Ben Roethlisberger chose to apologize.
He apologized to Antonio Brown for his comments following the loss to the Broncos. Explained that he’d tried to reach out to Brown multiple times. He affirmed that he still thought of Antonio Brown as a friend. He credited Antonio Brown for making him a better quarterback.
- How did Brown react? He called Ben Roethlisberger two faced.
Two face
— AB (@AB84) May 20, 2019
(OK, Brown didn’t specifically name Ben, and did launch several other critic tweets, but who are we kidding here?) Ben Roethlisberger certainly his made his mistakes as a person and as a teammate. But he was big enough to say “I was wrong” and “I am sorry” even when he probably didn’t even half to.
As for Brown? He was too busy tweeting things like “Two Face” to attend Raiders OTA’s. I guess that’s why Jon Gruden made sure to give him a contact that didn’t have any unguarantees….
Brown is a spoiled brat that he thinks he can do anything he wants just because he makes millions he don’t need to go to teem meetings he knows everything about what the coach wants him to do. Ha ha ha. He is for Brown and only Brown and he would forget super bowl he only wants the money. He could care less about anything else.