On this day in 1988, Antonio Tavaris Brown was born in Miami, Florida. The Steelers All-Pro wideout was born with football in his blood: his dad, Eddie Brown, played for the Arena Football League's Albany Firebirds from 1994-2000. Eddie won AFL MVP in 1994 and an ArenaBowl championship in 1999.
In the 30 years since July 10, 1988, AB has gone from being a walk-on at Central Michigan, to being an immensely underrated sixth-round draft pick, to becoming the best WR in the NFL. In eight seasons, Brown has been to six Pro Bowls and has racked up four consecutive First-team All-Pro selections. Not only that, he's breaking records along the way. Brown's meteoric rise and consistency have people wondering if he could become the G.O.A.T. wide receiver. Check out the stats below (click on the arrow on the right) and let us know if you think Brown could reach and surpass Jerry Rice one day.
Note: To make the comparison a bit more accurate, stats are through the first 115 games (AB's total games played so far). As a sixth-rounder, Brown competed for a roster spot in training camp then saw limited playing time (9 games) and targets (19) in his rookie season as the fifth wide receiver on the Steelers' depth chart. Brown became a full-time starter in his third season. Rice, who was the No. 16 pick of the 1985 Draft, played in all 16 games as a rookie and became a starter in his second season.
