Antonio Brown has usually been in the news for the wrong reasons for the past few years. However, he used to be one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, especially during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Brown wasn’t the biggest or fastest wideout, he had a special ability to get open. Jalen Ramsey recently explained what the hardest part of playing against Brown was.
“We had battles within every single play,” Ramsey said on Well Off Media’s YouTube channel. “No plays off. We at it every play. Him and his quarterback might have a crazy connection, I’m thinking, ‘They might make something up on me on the sideline. He’s about to go.’ [Brown] hated being subbed out. I could tell he hated being subbed out.
“Anytime they subbed him out during the game, especially if I was following or somebody was following, he was pissed. He was probably back in the next play. He had a different kind of stamina. Could never tell when he was tired, so I carried it the same way. I’m like, ‘He ain’t about to know when I’m tired, either.’ That’s probably the toughest thing.”
Say what you will about him, but Brown’s work ethic was unmatched. He didn’t become one of the NFL’s best receivers by accident. He was originally a sixth-round pick, and he faced an uphill battle to even stick on the Steelers’ roster.
However, Brown kept working hard. He was often seen continuing to train even after training camp practices were over. Not only did that hone his abilities, it’s also likely why he built up such great stamina.
Brown and Ramsey faced off three times when the receiver was at the height of his powers with the Steelers. It seemed like they brought the best out of each other, too. Brown had 22 catches for 406 yards and three touchdowns against Ramsey’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Meanwhile, Ramsey’s team won two out of those three games, including a playoff matchup, and he had seven pass defenses and three interceptions.
While Ramsey is with the Steelers now, he unfortunately never got to be teammates with Brown. The two of them had plenty of battles over the years, though. Ramsey has often talked about how Brown is one of the best players he’s ever had to cover.
Perhaps those battles against Brown helped mold Ramsey into the player that he is today. Iron sharpens iron, after all. It’s unfortunate how Brown’s career ended, but he’ll always be remembered as one of the best receivers of his generation.
