The Pittsburgh Steelers have reached a new deal with wide receiver Antonio Brown for this season.
The two parties agreed to restructure Brown’s deal, which will last until the end of the season. The Steelers’ top receiver will now make $10.25 million in 2016-17. With his old contract, Brown was only set to make $6.25 million. The deal also includes an $8.975 million signing bonus and the promise of a new deal for next season.
Brown signed a six-year, $43.04 million deal in 2012, an incredible bargain for such a talent.
Brown earned the contract after a record-setting 2015-16 season. The wideout helped the Steelers’ offense become one of the league’s best (if not the best) with 136 receptions for 1,834 yards. Brown scored 10 touchdowns, bringing his career total to 38 touchdowns. And his 265 catches over the last two seasons are the most by any player in that span in NFL history.
Last season, Brown was behind the Atlanta Falcons Julio Jones’, who had 136 receptions for 1,871 — but Brown was without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed four games due to injury (MCL strain). In the 2014-15 season, Brown led the NFL’s receivers with 129 receptions for 1,698 yards.
The Steelers will rely on Brown more than ever this year because of the year-long suspension of wide receiver Martavis Bryant for marijuana use.
Brown and Roethlisberger will continue to lock their dominance as one of the best quarterback-wide receivers duos of all time.
Image credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
