Looking back about four years now, the Pittsburgh Steelers and former general manager, Kevin Colbert moving on from All-Pro wide receiver, Antonio Brown was one of the biggest swindles of Colbert's tenure. At the end of the 2018 season, there was definitely uncertainty surrounding Brown's future after he was essentially benched for the season finale following a dispute with a teammate during a Week 17 practice. As the organization missed the playoffs and entered the off-season, the biggest topic surrounding the franchise was about the Pro Bowl pass catcher and if he would return to play for Pittsburgh in 2019.
Photo Credit: AP Photo / Keith Srakocic
Steelers Part Ways With Brown In Lopsided Trade
Whether you're MLB betting in New Jersey, or blindly gambling in the NFL, no one saw Brown being traded to the then-Oakland Raiders for third and fifth round picks coming. He also signed a three-year contract extension for $54.125 million. Brown didn't even make it a full off-season with the Raiders and was released just prior to the season beginning.
Rewind back to the beginning of the calendar year in 2019 when multiple teams were reaching out to the Steelers about Brown. It was anyone's guess as to where he would end up, but one prominent reporter jumped the gun and tweeted out that Pittsburgh was in agreement with the Buffalo Bills.
Sources: The #Steelers are closing in on a deal to send star WR Antonio Brown to the Buffalo #Bills. There it is.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
It's important to note that Ian Rapoport didn't state that it was a done deal, but when his word is as trusted around the league as almost anybody's, fans were certain Brown was headed to play for Buffalo.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, Antonio Brown (#84) celebrates at Heinz Field. | Philip G. Pavely / USA TODAY Sports
On Wednesday, Rapoport joined The Pat McAfee Show, where he is a regular guest, and relived one of the more notable mistakes of his career. He was confident that the deal was going down:
"Four off-seasons ago, I get a tip that Antonio Brown is in the process of being traded to the Buffalo Bills. It's free agency and everyone is anxious. The whole off-season is, 'Where is he going to be traded?' So I get a tip that a trade is going down. It's not done, but they're deep in talks, but as long as he gets a new contract, gets the extension he wants, I break [the news] that he is close to the Bills."
It was originally debunked by Bills' general manager, Brandon Beane. He made a comment the next day regarding the situation and while they were interested in Brown, a deal was not close to being in place. Rapoport still trusts that specific source this day, despite the inaccuracy in this instance.
"I was extremely comfortable with my source and still am. [It was a] person who knew and very much involved. And the deal broke down at 3:30 because he didn't get a contract extension."
Fred Vuich /AP Photo
Everyone makes mistakes and it's often said is that one must learn from any mistakes that he/she has made. Rapoport put it quite simply when he also said on Wednesday that the early jump that he made regarding the Steelers and Bills potential trade changed how he does his job all the way up to this day.
"It was not a good feeling. It changed the way I reported forever," Rapoport said.
Do you remember thinking that Brown was being traded over to the Bills after Rapoport's tweet? Let us know in the comments below!
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