Antonio Brown

Childhood and high school

Antonio Brown was born on July 10, 1988, and he went to Miami Norland High School in Miami, Florida. He was a versatile player on the school football team since he was able to play several positions including quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and punt receiver. As a Viking, he ran four hundred fifty one yards, scored thirteen touchdowns, and passed one thousand two hundred forty seven yards in just five games. Other highlights include being named North Athlete of the year at 2005 Miami Dade Gridiron Classic and being a two time Class 6A all state selection.

College

In 2007, Central Michigan University’s football coach, Zach Azzanni, extended the invitation to try out for the team as a walk on. Within weeks, he was offered a scholarship. Brown played fourteen games during his freshman year and was awarded the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year. The highlights continued into his sophomore year when he started in every game and had a season high of one hundred seventy two yards, as well as his seven touchdowns.

NFL Draft

Although Brown was invited to the NFL Combine after forgoing his senior year at Central Michigan, the scouts felt he needed the final year of college to grow in size and handle the ball better before joining the NFL. He had a vertical leap of 38.5 inches. He was most noted for speed, agility, and explosiveness. In 2010, he was acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round. He signed a three year contract with a salary of $1.28 million.

2010 NFL season

Brown would begin as the fifth wide receiver with the Steelers. His rookie debut was made on September 19, 2010 against the Tennessee Titans where he scored an eighty nine yard touchdown. He finished the season with sixteen receptions for one hundred sixty seven yards, as well as going to Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

2011 NFL season

He began the season by not just being named the third wide receiver on the Steelers roster but also was named the punt returner and starting kick returner. Brown became the first player in the NFL to have more than one thousand yards returning and receiving in the same season. He played his first Pro Bowl and caught two passes for fifteen yards.

2012 NFL season

The Steelers decided to extend Brown’s contract for another five years. He was also named one of two starting wide receivers for the Steelers. He continued through the season with high yardage, but a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and a sprained ankle blemished parts of the mid season. He made a comeback against the Dallas Cowboys in week fifteen with a season high eight catches for seventy six yards and scored a touchdown. He would finish the season with sixty eight receptions for seven hundred eighty seven yards and five touchdowns.

2013 NFL season

In December 2012, Brown broke Yancey Thigpen’s 1997 single season record of one thousand three hundred ninety eight yards receiving yards. On December 29, he tied two other players in having at least five receptions in every game of a season, as well as being the only receiver in NFL history have at least five receptions and at least fifty yards in every seasonal game. He would later go onto be named to the AP All-Pro team.

2014 NFL season

Brown's 2014 season did not get off to a good start when he kicked Spencer Lanning of the Cleveland Browns in his facemask. He was later fined despite apologizing and persisting it was an accident. This season, Brown would lead the entire NFL in yardage and receptions.

2015 NFL season

The most notable game during this season was with the Indianapolis Colts. Brown returned a punt for a touchdown and celebrated by jumping into the goal post. He was later fined for excessive celebration. While the Stelers made it to the Super Bowl, a concussion Brown sufered in the first post season game against the Cincinnati Bengals kept him on the sidelines.

2016 NFL season

In the season opener, Brown was fined for both going against uniform policy by wearing the wrong colored cleats and twerking after he scored a touchdown. He was fined for the same thing four games later. He is now in the top one hundred all time for career receptions and in the top one hundred for career receiving yards.

Personal life

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