Steelers' Antonio Brown Out Ranks Randy Moss, Jerry Rice As Best Of All Time According To Seahawks' DK Metcalf

The storied history of the Pittsburgh Steelers is well-known across the American sports landscape. The franchise was the first to six Super Bowl Titles and has a plethora of former players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame while others, like Ben Roethlisberger, will get the honor soon. There are some current and former players who could be headed to Canton one day as well, but the jury is still out on whether guys like TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, among others will get to wear a golden jacket in the future. One of the bigger debates surrounds former All-Pro receiver, Antonio Brown.

Brown had arguably the best stretch of all time for any receiver between 2013 and 2018. The pass catcher hauled in 686 catches that went for an astounding 9,145 yards to go along with 67 touchdowns. Most receivers would be happy to call that a career, but for Brown, it was only a period of half of his 12-year time in the NFL. He probably will never return.

The argument has been extremely constant in Pittsburgh regarding Brown and former fan-favorite, Hines Ward. Should they both get in to the Hall of Fame one day? Who is the best Steelers wide receiver in the organization's history? While their stats match up pretty well against one another, Brown simply had a skillset that has rarely ever been seen on an NFL field.

If Brown's career is indeed over, he will finish with 12,291 yards which currently sits at 24th all-time and 928 receptions (21st entering the 2023 season). The prime of his professional years was certainly in Pittsburgh with Roethlisberger and the incredible six-year stretch is going to be hard for any player to top going forward (although Justin Jefferson is halfway there).

When fans and the media alike try to think of the best receivers of all time, Brown doesn't often find the top of the list. His stats don't match up with the likes of Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens. That doesn't mean that there aren't current NFL players who believe Brown should be considered the best pass catcher in the league's history.

Former Steelers cornerback, Bryant McFadden recently hosted Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, D.K. Metcalf on his podcast, All Things Covered. McFadden's cohost, Patrick Peterson was not involved in the segment, but the last question to Metcalf was revolved around him deciding who he considers the top five wide receivers of all time. The answer is going to surprise a lot of people.

With all due respect to Brown, statistically, he isn't even close to three of the four names on Metcalf's list. With that said, Brown could certainly make an argument for himself if we are focusing on being the best and most talented of all time. That's the angle many take when debating Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers. Being the best and then being the greatest could be considered two different things. This is what Metcalf may have in mind. Brown could be the most talented pass catcher ever.

Former Steelers Wide Receiver Was A One-Of-A-Kind Player

Brown was simply different when he was clicking on the football field. Roethlisberger doesn't get enough credit for elevating his style of play, but Brown had a strong work ethic and the kind of confidence any athlete can dream of having. If he would have kept his head on straight and continued playing consistent football after leaving the Steelers in 2018 (only 16 total regular season games played from 2019-2021), he could legitimately be right up there statistically with Rice, Moss and Owens.

It's upsetting for any true football fan to imagine how great Brown could have been. The six-year stint from 2013 to 2018 may have just been a glimpse of his untapped potential, but we will never know how much better of a career he could have had if he was still playing on Sundays in the fall.

Do you agree with Metcalf that Brown is the best wide receiver of all time? Let us know in the comments below!

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