Steelers, Brown begin talks on long-term deal
Antonio Brown is going to get paid, and likely by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
General manager Kevin Colbert told reporters Thursday that negotiations on a long-term deal have begun, as relayed by Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Colbert added that locking down one of the top receivers in the game is a "priority" for the team.
"I can say unequivocally we want Antonio Brown to retire as a Steeler, just as we want Le'Veon Bell to retire as a Steeler," Colbert said, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Brown's current contract is set to expire at the end of the 2017 season. He would be a marquee unrestricted free agent heading into 2018.
He's also been criminally underpaid; Brown played the 2015 season with a $1-million base salary, 2016 with a $1.275-million contract, and has a restructured $4.71-million deal for 2017.
He led the NFL in receiving yards in 2014, placed second in 2015, and finished fifth with 1,284 this past season.