A week ago, Pittsburgh Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown told the team not to expect him at voluntary workouts. He was seeking a new deal, and this was his way of letting them know he was serious.
But according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, his plan has changed just a bit.
Brown worked out with his team on Monday, deciding that the Steelers are more likely to reward hard work and extra effort than a hard-lined negotiating tactic.
And while it's a noble thought, Brown probably realized that the ball is not in his court, anyway.
Pittsburgh typically does not renegotiate deals, especially when Brown is just three years into a six-year deal he signed back in 2012.
Yes, this is wildly unfair since teams can force players into pay cuts if they're not playing well or getting too old. We know that there's a break in the system.
The problem is, Brown won't be rewarded for a record-setting 129 catches and 1,698 yards from last year. At least not for a few years.
As the great Ed Bouchette at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted this week, the Steelers have let better players and coaches (Bill Cowher's exit, for example, may have come down to a contract dispute) go over money.
Brown probably doesn't want to be the next, because at least on the field, he has it pretty good right now.
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