Rooney: ‘Hard to envision’ Brown on team in ’19

PITTSBURGH — Antonio Brown won’t be released but “all other options are on the table” regarding his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers, team president Art Rooney II told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Brown’s absence from Week 17 practices resulted in a benching for the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, and during that week Brown had a flare-up in a team setting.

Rooney said in the Post-Gazette interview that it would be “hard to envision” Brown as part of the team when it reports to training camp in late July.

Antonio Brown has the numbers, a $70 million deal and a Hall of Fame trajectory. How did this go south? Here’s an attempt to answer all the questions.

“There’s not much we can do right now; we have time to make a decision,” Rooney told the outlet. “We’ll look at all the options. We’re not going to release him, that’s not on the table. But I will say all other options are on the table. Whether the situation can be reconciled and have him back on the team next year, we’re a long way from thinking that can happen. We’re not closing the door on anything at this point.”

A trade can’t be executed until the start of the new league year March 13, and, perhaps more importantly, Brown’s $2.5 million roster bonus due March 17 would incentivize the Steelers to deal him.

The Steelers would absorb $21.12 million in 2019 dead money on the salary cap by trading Brown, but taking his $22.165 million cap charge off the books would offset that cost. Brown enters the third year of a five-year, $72.7 million extension signed before the 2017 season.

Rooney said in the interview that salary-cap implications would not “box us into anything.” The team president added he and coach Mike Tomlin have not spoken to Brown.

Brown has not formally requested a trade. Sources close to Brown said the All-Pro has been frustrated with team dynamics for a while but has not mentioned the desire for a trade since the season ended.

Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree told ESPN that the Steelers have “family issues” that appear to revolve around Brown and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who have combined to produce six consecutive 100-catch seasons for Brown. Roethlisberger said on his end-of-season radio appearance with 93.7 the Fan Pittsburgh that he wants Brown to stay and had a good conversation with the receiver in Week 17.

“We don’t really know what’s going on, we just know [Brown and Roethlisberger] are heated at each other,” Dupree said. “It’s not Coach Tomlin, it’s two grown men, two free players butting heads. … We have to learn how to be together [as a team]. We have to put it in the open and stop hiding.”

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