Antonio Brown admitted Thursday that he's been a distraction to his fellow Steelers, but bristled at the suggestion by many that he's concerned only about padding his own stats.
Speaking to the media for the first time since a tumultuous Sunday and Monday that saw him not show up for a team meeting following an animated sideline discussion with offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, and tweet to a former employee in which he mentioned being traded, Brown showed some remorse about what he's done to his teammates.
"Obviously it’s a distraction when you guys are writing about Twitter and my teammates have got to answer questions about it," Brown said. "You guys are writing headlines that I want to be traded. This is the organization that took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity to live out my dream. It’s put to my teammates that I’m a guy who doesn’t care about them or doesn’t care about trying to win. It is a distraction. Our business is winning and playing football and that’s what I’m here to do."
Brown spent 10 minutes Thursday -- a day before he usually talks to the media -- explaining himself for his actions during and following the Steelers' 42-37 loss to the Chiefs last Sunday.
At various times during the game, he appeared to allow his emotions to bubble over into his play as the Chiefs limited him to 9 receptions for 67 yards on 17 passes thrown his way.
Late in the game, he was caught by television cameras talking emphatically with Fichtner, who took over this year as the team's offensive coordinator after serving the previous 11 seasons as receivers coach, and then quarterbacks coach.
Brown said it was more about the fact the Steelers are 0-1-1 than his own statistics.
"Stats depend on the team. I can’t throw it and catch it myself," he said. "It’s a team game. I depend on Ben (Roethlisberger). I depend on the o-line. I depend on the running back and the other guys so that I can make stats. Our business is winning. If we don’t win, nobody cares about your stats. I’m here trying to win. When you see me on the sideline talking to Randy Fichtner, he’s asking what I’m saying. I’m wanting to win. To you guys, it’s ‘He’s upset, so maybe he is worried about his stats.’ That’s what it is. It’s all about winning."
Fichtner said Thursday he thought the issue with Brown on the sideline had been overblown.
"It was not really an argument because I never really thought of it as that," Fichtner said of people who saw it as Brown yelling at a coach. "It wasn't an issue on the field.
"I've known AB a long time. I didn't think about it as such until later (when people were reacting to it). I want him to be passionate and I want his communication. We've been together now since he's been in the league. I was at his pro day. I've known him since he was in high school."
Fichtner was offensive coordinator at Memphis when Brown was in high school prior to heading to Central Michigan.
Wednesday, Roethlisberger said he understands that frustration and it's something that permeates the Steelers' locker room right now with the team winless in its first two games headed into a Monday night game at Tampa Bay.
"We’re all a little frustrated because we’re not winning now," Roethlisberger said.
But the rest of the team did show up for the film review on Monday. Brown did not. He reiterated what his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Tuesday — he had a personal matter to which to attend.
"You guys make assumptions about my emotions, what I stand for, what I’m about and blow things out of proportion," Brown said. "I go about my business every day. My business is winning. I come into work.
"I'm not on the sideline begging for the ball. I'm pissed off. We're not winning."
Mike Tomlin, however, said Tuesday the absence was not excused and met with Brown later in the day. Tomlin also said Brown had been disciplined for the matter, though wouldn't say what that punishment involved.
Brown wouldn't say, either, but it will not involve him being benched against the Buccaneers.
He did, however, call his reply back to a former team PR employee that he had benefitted greatly from playing with Roethlisberger, "dumb."
Brown replied to that tweet, "Trade me let's find out."
"It was a guy who used to work here, a PR guy," Brown said. "He took a personal shot at me. Obviously, I don’t want to be traded. I’m still grateful to put on my uniform, grateful to be part of this organization. I don’t take that for granted. It was a stupid remark. I’ve got to stay away online from the distractions. As a competitor, this is not just a game to me and cashing a check. The money doesn’t matter. I look at my assignments and performance, that means a lot to me."