Antonio Brown might have been bluffing in April when he threatened to hold out for a new deal or he probably had a change of heart when he realized he can afford a Rolls-Royce.
The Steelers wide receiver arrived to the first day of training camp on Saturday in a customized black and yellow Rolls-Royce and put an end to the holdout speculation.
"Holdouts never go well," said Brown, who signed a six-year, $43 million deal before the 2012 season. "Just look at history. It always ends badly. It wouldn't be the best decision. I make a lot of money. I pull up to camp in Rolls-Royces."
The 5-foot-10 Brown's current contract places him eighth overall in terms of total value at the position, but his per-year average ranks just 14th, behind the likes of Vincent Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Pierre Garcon, per OverTheCap.com. Brown is scheduled to receive $6 million for the 2015 season.
Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas signed five-year, $70 million deals with their respective teams earlier this month -- Brown is certainly in their class of elite wideouts and could be in line for a similar payday in the near future.
"You know you get caught up thinking about the future you lose sight of the present," Brown said. "What I'm here to do today is to show how hard I've been working, showcase I can still be the best in the world and help my team win football games."
The Steelers recently took care of their front office by extending coach Mike Tomlin's and general manager Kevin Colbert's contracts.
"I think it's a good deal to have those guys here long-term," Brown said. "To make sure we have a stable core of the guys who make the decisions here. Obviously, coach Tomlin is a great guy, Kevin Colbert makes some great decisions."
As for Brown, it's safe to say he's outplayed his current contract after leading the league in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698) last season. Those numbers topped his remarkable 2013 campaign when he hauled in 110 catches for 1,499 yards. AB has found the end zone 21 times in the last two years.
*The latest Around The NFL Podcast features the triumphant return of Dan Hanzus and discusses the biggest mysteries heading into training camp. *
