Antonio Brown
Antonio Brown
There are plenty of Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, that group could grow with next year’s class. Several Steelers are eligible for the first time, including Antonio Brown. Brown was one of the best wide receivers of his era, but his antics off the field could keep him out of the Hall of Fame. However, former NFL receiver Chad Johnson is confident that Brown belongs in Canton, Ohio.
“My slam dunk, I want to add one more, despite what he may have done off the field and some of the antics on the field as well, Antonio Brown,” Johnson said recently on his Nightcap podcast. “Antonio Brown had a six- or seven-year stretch where there’s never been a receiver to ever put up those types of numbers… Voters are going to judge also on what occurs off the field as opposed to on.
“But his numbers speak for themselves. What he was able to do, he’s one of the best in the history of this game. The story of the receiver position cannot be told without mentioning Antonio Brown. I know it probably will hurt him, with it being the first ballot, based on some of the things that have occurred that probably rubbed some of the voters the wrong way. They’re probably going to make him wait.”
Brown played in the NFL from 2010-2021, and he did most of his damage in his nine seasons with the Steelers. While it took him a few years to get going, Brown had a dominant stretch from 2013-2018 where he had at least 100 catches and 1,000 yards every year.
That’s still the longest stretch in NFL history with at least 100 catches in a row. Also, Brown was a First-team All-Pro four times, a Second-team All-Pro once, and a seven-time Pro Bowler.
He finished his career with 928 catches, 12,291 yards, and 83 touchdowns. Johnson is correct that Brown’s accolades are worthy of the Hall of Fame. While it’s debatable if they’re enough to get him in on his first year of eligibility, Brown’s numbers should get him in eventually.
However, his case is more complicated than that. Brown has a lot of off-the-field issues, including getting taken into custody on an attempted murder charge last year. He had plenty of outbursts on the field, too. That includes stripping out of his uniform and running off the field in 2021 to end his career.
From @GMFB: How and why did #Bucs WR Antonio Brown end up storming off the field shirtless to end his Tampa Bay career? pic.twitter.com/nd6xq0xMLp
The Hall of Fame is supposed to only look at what a player did on the field to determine if they’re eligible. It’s hard to ignore everything that Brown has done, though. His legacy is tainted.
Browns’ Hall of Fame case will be a fascinating one to monitor. He’s one of the best receivers in NFL history. However, he also comes with a ton of baggage. Maybe Brown will eventually get inducted, but it’s hard to see that happening next year. He’ll probably have to wait, despite all that he did. Johnson is aware of that as well, but there’s no harm in making an argument for Brown.