Antonio Brown isn’t shy about asking for a new contract, but the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver intends to go about it in a classy manner.
Fresh off a pair of near record-setting performances over the last two seasons, Brown believes his production entitles him to a new deal. He has two seasons remaining on the five-year, $41.7 million contract he signed in July 2012.
Brown, 28, will make $6.25 million in the fifth year of his pact, a number well shy of the $15 million per year received by the NFL’s highest-paid wideout, Cincinnati’s A.J. Green.
Still, Brown is well aware that Pittsburgh steadfastly does not renegotiate until a player has one year remaining on his current contract, as general manager Kevin Colbert reiterated on Steelers National Radio earlier in the week.
“I can’t really fight what the rules are,” Brown said Sunday. “You have to take care of your guys. If a guy underperforms, you get rid of him. If a guy overperforms, you take care of him.”
Brown has certainly performed, reeling in franchise records in both receptions (136) and receiving yards (1,834) last season to go along with 10 touchdowns. Over the past two seasons, he has 265 catches for 3,532 yards and 23 scores.
Brown admitted that holding out of training camp as a way to generate contract talk is not in his plans, however.
“The Rooneys have been first class with me since I was 21 or 22 years old,” Brown said, referring to the family that owns the Steelers. “I’ve never held out. I’m a first-class guy in any relationship. The first way of getting better is showing up, so I’m always going to show up and do my part and be ready to go.”