It seems as if in any sport, but especially the NFL, if you can’t get want you want in contract negotiations, you hold out. It’s simple, a player wants more money, the teams needs that player to win, and once they start losing or fearing they’ll lose without you, they pay up.
Every NFL training camp has a slew of holdouts, usually made up of stars wanting to restructure their existing contracts or possibly get a new one.
Pittsburgh Steeler’s WR Antonio Brown doesn’t quite fit that mold. Brown, who is statistically the top WR in the NFL, has gone of record this offseason saying he would like a new contract, but he won’t hold out of training camp to get one.
“I would never hold out,” Brown told reporters after practice on Sunday. “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.”
The 28-year-old Brown, who already set a pair of franchise records with 136 receptions for 1,834 yards last season, has two years and $16.7 million left on the five-year deal he signed back in 2012. Bengals wideout A.J. Green, another top receiver in the league, earns $15 million annually.
Pittsburgh’s star seems to want a contract that parallels Green’s.
“I can’t really fight what the rules are,” Brown continued. “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, who has opening shown an extraordinary love for his team, even has his cars wrapped in Steelers theme.
“I want to be a Pit
