"Ben Roethlisberger, Who They've Basically Babied": LeSean McCoy Wants Steelers Fans To Hear The Truth On Antonio Brown

The Pittsburgh Steelers watched Antonio Brown develop into one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play the game during his time in the Steel City. Unfortunately, the underdog story of sixth-round draft pick to NFL superstar didn’t last as long as many fans had hoped. By now, everyone knows what happened with Brown, but at one point, he was putting up truly historic numbers in Pittsburgh.

Brown went on an insane run during a six-year span from 2013 to 2018. During that stretch, he established one of the greatest statistical peaks in NFL history. He became the only player to record six consecutive seasons with 100+ receptions and at least 1,200 receiving yards. The level of consistency he maintained over half a decade is something that will likely never be matched. Many fans assumed it would continue even further, but things ultimately unraveled between Brown and the Steelers.

Former NFL running back LeSean McCoy, who shared an agent with Brown in Drew Rosenhaus, has suggested he feels compelled to send a message to Steeler Nation via Speakeasy. McCoy believes it’s important for fans to understand what they may not know about the situation surrounding Brown all these years later.

"This is what people don't know," McCoy said. "Because I had Drew Rosenhaus as my agent and he had Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. We've always been tight. He didn't want to leave Pittsburgh. That's the real truth. The real truth is that he loved Pittsburgh. He never wanted to leave Pittsburgh. He felt like they didn't truly value him."

McCoy is suggesting Brown didn’t actually want out of Pittsburgh and instead felt undervalued by the Steelers. He points to things like the team MVP vote going to JuJu Smith-Schuster and perceived treatment compared to other stars as reasons Brown grew frustrated. 

While there may be some truth to Brown feeling disrespected at times, the situation was ultimately more complex than a single moment or decision.

"They gave [team MVP] to JuJu [Smith-Schuster], which sounds crazy when Antonio Brown is on your team," McCoy said. "Then, your Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who they've basically babied for years, even when he declined. AB, say what you want about him, he always was productive, he always was a hard worker. All these things are going downhill for him, and now they ask him to leave? He was mad about that."

Ultimately, what McCoy is saying here isn’t anything Steelers fans haven’t heard before. The truth is Brown was probably justified in feeling some type of way, but the way he chose to respond to it is where many believe he went wrong. What can’t be debated, though, are the numbers he put up and the tremendous run he went on in Pittsburgh. 

Steelers Watched Brown Shred The NFL For Six Years Straight

While many are disappointed with how his career ultimately played out, the historic production he delivered when he was on the field and locked in will be extremely difficult to top.

Brown’s peak production speaks for itself. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and a four-time consecutive First Team All-Pro, locking in his spot as the best receiver in the league for a long stretch. In 2015, he had 136 receptions which tied for the second-most in a single season in NFL history at the time, and his 1,834 yards that year still rank among the top single-season totals ever. 

Over that six-year run, he averaged 114.3 catches, 1,524 yards, and 11.2 touchdowns per season, numbers that show a level of consistency and dominance that is extremely hard to match in any era.

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