WR · FA · 33 yrs · exp 12 · Central Michigan
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PFF constructed an all-time Steelers roster from 2006 to the present, featuring prominent offensive and defensive players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, T.J. Watt, and Cameron Heyward
Brandon Aiyuk continues to air grievances against what soon will be his former team. The soon-to-be-former San Francisco 49ers receiver went to YouTube on Saturday to speak more on his feud with the 49ers. It’s a bit all over the place, but here’s a paraphrase of what the video contains: The 49ers are referred to as “That Team” and never by name. Aiyuk fired his agent, Ryan Williams, because of Williams’ affiliation with 49ers general manager John Lynch. John Lynch came to Aiyuk’s home. Aiyuk also said Kyle Shanahan had the temperament of a toddler For a video that runs 3:33, there’s a lot to go over. A portion of the John Lynch visit is transcribed below: “General manager gonna pull up to my house. A weirdo. Like, bro, don’t pull up to my house uninvited boy. S**t aint safe. But I knew his ass was gonna do it. So I’m looking at my camera, my front door camera, see a big ‘ole white boy—white man, former NFL Safety, and I’m like “Aw, hell no.” And I know my wife is about to be back home soon. So I had to call my wife and say, “Uh, there’s a big-ass white man at the house. I don’t know what he’s doing over there. He was not invited. S**t’s creepy. So if you’re on your way home, just spin the block a few times, because I don’t know what bro’s on. Weird. The same general manager who tried to run me down and then come apologize for his head coach. Because his head coach got the temperament of a f***king toddler .” Aiyuk ended his video saying he would see the 49ers on October 19th. For those of you wondering what significance that day has, it’s the day the 49ers play the Washington Commanders . A few weeks ago, I compared Aiyuk to when Antonio Brown, demanded we call him Mr. Big Chest. This comparison came when Aiyuk went on Instagram wearing a Commanders hat. It didn’t seem like we had entered even a nearby zipcode of Mr. Big Chest territory. Well, a lot has changed since then. We aren’t just in Mr. Big Chest territory—we may even be crossing over into a whole new world. It’s not even July yet
When it comes to Brandon Aiyuk’s slowly-growing collection of ill-advised social media videos, some feel comfortable jumping to conclusions about his mental health. I’ve got a far more pragmatic question. Who’s advising him? Per NFL Players Association records, Aiyuk continues to be represented by Ryan Williams of Athletes First. Aiyuk’s online antics ( most recently , he posted a video in which he wears a Commanders hat and say’s he’ll be “back on tour this fall,” before directing viewers to go to “www.Commanders.com to get your tickets and watch us rock out”) are creating a bad impression. Either Aiyuk is doing this on the advice of his agent, or he’s acting against his agent’s advice. If it’s the latter, at what point does the agent fire the player? In 2020, agent Drew Rosenhaus severed ties with receiver Antonio Brown at a time when Brown had been acting erratically and irrationally. Shouldn’t Williams do the same with Aiyuk, if Williams has been telling Aiyuk to knock it off with the videos and he keeps doing it? It’s possible, in theory, that Aiyuk is implementing a deliberate strategy aimed at getting himself released by the 49ers, so that he can sign elsewhere. Even so, there’s no subtlety whatsoever regarding his desire to play for the Commanders. Which surely makes the Commanders uncomfortable. If Aiyuk is simply going rogue on a regular basis, why wouldn’t Williams cut him loose? It would be frustrating to continue to tell a client to not do something that he continues to do. For now, Aiyuk continues to make it clear that he wants to join the Commanders. Even if no one knows that the Commanders even want him
It's been 14 years since Calvin Johnson set the NFL single-season receiving record with 1,964 yards, and although we've seen several players put up huge receiving numbers since then, no one has been able to top Megatron's mark. However, that could soon change. During an interview at his celebrity golf outing on Monday , the Hall of Fame receiver was asked about the record and whether he thought anyone could break it in the near future. For Johnson, only one name came to mind: Puka Nacua . "He's still got Matthew [Stafford] so I think he's got a shot," Johnson said, via the Detroit Free Press . "If he stays healthy, that dude's a killer out there. He's a definite No. 1. Who else? Help me out." When Johnson set the record in 2012, he was playing for the Lions and his quarterback was Stafford. If anyone is going to top Johnson's mark, he needs to play in a pass-heavy offense led by a prolific quarterback, which are two boxes Nacua checks. Stafford threw 597 passes in 2025, the third-most in the NFL. He loves to feed his favorite receivers, which is one reason his guys are always putting up huge numbers. As a matter of fact, if you look at the top of the receiving record book, the two best seasons of all time both came from players who caught passes from Stafford. In the 14 years since Johnson set the NFL single-season receiving record, only one player has come close to breaking it, and that was Cooper Kupp , who finished with 1,947 yards while playing with Stafford and the Rams in 2021. At one point during that season, Johnson thought Kupp was going to top his historic mark.q "Cooper was close. I thought he was going to break it, honestly," Johnson said. Besides Kupp and Johnson, no other receiver in NFL history has topped 1,900 yards. Here are the top five single-season receiving totals of all time. Lions WR Calvin Johnson (2012) 1,964 Rams WR Cooper Kupp (2021) 1,947 Falcons WR Julio Jones (2015) 1,871 49ers WR Jerry Rice (1995) 1,848 Steelers WR Antonio Brown (2015) 1,834 To break Johnson's record, you pretty much have to have everything go right. "You got to have a good start. It's hard to pick it up late in the season," Johnson said. "You got to get off to a good start, you got to maintain that good pace and then you got to finish strong. I think that's the key if you're going to break the record, you got to start strong. You got to keep it up in the middle. You ain't got to kill it in the middle, but you got to keep up that pace a little bit. Then you got to finish strong. You got to have a strong start and strong finish to the season in order to get that record." You also have to stay healthy. Nacua finished with the second-most receiving yards in the NFL last season at 1,715, and he did that even though he missed a game. Nacua injured his ankle in the first half of a Week 6 win over the Ravens , and the injury caused him to miss the Rams' Week 7 win over the Jaguars in London . Because of the injury, Nacua essentially missed 1.5 games. If you average out his numbers, he would have finished with 1,880 yards had he played all 17 games. So you have to get hot, stay hot, stay healthy and have your quarterback stay healthy. There's a reason this record hasn't been broken despite the NFL being in its pass-happy era. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the NFL in receiving yards last season, and he was on pace to break the record all the way through Thanksgiving. Heading into Week 13, JSN was on pace for 2,029 yards, but things slowed down over Seattle's final six games, a stretch in which he topped 100 yards only once. Smith-Njigba had to play five outdoor games over the final six weeks, and cold weather can certainly slow a receiver down. When you look at the top three receiving seasons in NFL history -- Johnson, Kupp and Julio Jones -- all three players have one thing in common: They played indoors, so they didn't have to worry as much about the weather late in the season. In 2022, Justin Jefferson posted the sixth [... truncated ...]
Brandon Aiyuk’s social media activity has taken another intriguing turn. Just days after deleting a pair of Instagram videos in which he criticized the San Francisco 49ers for refusing to release him, the disgruntled receiver returned with a very different message. Instead of taking shots at the organization, Aiyuk posted a video of himself dancing while wearing a robe and boxer shorts with a simple caption: “Coming to a endzone near [you].” The video was widely viewed as the latest sign of Aiyuk’s public unraveling, with one commenter comparing the situation to a mashup of Britney Spears and Antonio Brown . But the caption ignited speculation that Aiyuk may be on the verge of being released by San Francisco . In posts just last week, Aiyuk accused the 49ers of being afraid to let him leave and calling the team who drafted him in 2020 stupid for paying him . Deleting those videos could be interpreted as an olive branch amid an increasingly messy standoff between player and team. Now the focus shifts to where Aiyuk could eventually land if San Francisco finally decides to move on. One destination has consistently hovered over the conversation: the Washington Commanders . Aiyuk has done little to hide his admiration for Washington in recent months, previously posting photos of himself wearing Commanders gear while maintaining a visible connection with quarterback Jayden Daniels . The two already share chemistry dating back to their days together at Arizona State, where Daniels connected on 65 receptions and eight touchdown passes to Aiyuk during their final season together. Reports have suggested Washington could have interest if Aiyuk eventually reaches free agency, although the Commanders have shown little desire to acquire him through a trade. That leaves the 49ers holding most of the leverage as training camp approaches. The complication is that Aiyuk hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since October 20, 2024. The 28-year-old suffered a devastating knee injury that included a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus, ending what was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter after signing a lucrative extension. His absence from team-supervised rehabilitation sessions reportedly led San Francisco to void the remaining guaranteed money in his contract and place him on the reserve/left squad list. Before everything unraveled, Aiyuk was coming off a dominant 2023 season in which he recorded 1,342 receiving yards and established himself as one of football’s most efficient receivers. His ability to create explosive plays and win downfield made him one of the NFL’s most dangerous weapons. For now, Aiyuk’s latest Instagram post signals optimism or deepening delusion. Whether that optimism points toward Washington, another team, or a resolution with the 49ers remains unknown. That player still exists in theory. The question is whether he can return to that level after a major knee injury and nearly two years away away from game action. But after months of public frustration, the message was clear. Brandon Aiyuk believes he’ll be scoring touchdowns again soon
This Brandon Aiyuk update has less to do with plans of the San Francisco 49ers holding onto him for as long as possible or a strange warrant for the wide receiver’s arrest. This nugget comes from where a lot of Brandon Aiyuk overreactions stem from: social media. Aiyuk posted a pair of selfies on his Instagram story wearing a Washington Commanders hat. Take a look, and we’ll continue: The second post has some text that NBC Sports Bay Area translated it to: “Stop the cap, the gig is up!” Aiyuk linked to the Commanders is nothing new. During his contract disputes in 2024 , it was speculated that the ideal outcome would be to reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels . Daniels’ first year at Arizona State was also Aiyuk’s last before the latter went to the NFL. The last time we’ve had such controversial hat takes dates back to then-49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick wearing a Miami Dolphins hat. Both Kaepernick and Aiyuk were under contract when their respective social media stories hit, and both received very different overreactions. Something more relevant is the Pittsburgh Steelers drama with Antonio Brown . 2019 was Antonio Brown watch, and the 49ers were a possible destination should the Steelers trade him. Brown made the decision easy with an (incomplete) 10-question AMA that some might still be trying to translate to this day, followed by a move to Instagram demanding everyone call him Mr. Big Chest. We’re quite a bit away from hitting Mr. Big Chest levels of obnoxiousness here. We could also overanalyze two Instagram stories with a different NFL Team’s hat on, but we’ve gone down this road before, and odds are we usually get it wrong. It’s been documented how difficult a Brandon Aiyuk trade could be, given his contract. The 49ers have no reason to release him until later this summer, once the league has installed their offenses with the players on their roster. That doesn’t mean we can’t overanalyze anyway. Do you take anything from this? Or is this another instance of Brandon Aiyuk going Brandon Aiyuk?
The Pittsburgh Steelers came to terms with Aaron Rodgers on a one-year, $22 million deal earlier this week. Leading up to the agreement, NFL fans were unsure whether Rodgers would return or retire. However, he has made it known that this will be the last year of his storied career. “This is it,” Rodgers told the media on Wednesday . After coming to Pittsburgh to play for Mike Tomlin a season ago, Rodgers will end his career in a full-circle manner, now getting to play for former head coach Mike McCarthy one last time. Together in Green Bay , McCarthy helped Rodgers develop into the player he is today, leading the Packers to a Super Bowl title along the way. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Aaron Rodgers embracing mentorship role with Drew Allar, Will Howard NFL insider predicts Steelers will cut Will Howard Michael Pittman Jr recruiting JuJu Smith-Schuster back to Steelers Steelers to try OT Max Iheanachor at multiple positions Antonio Brown goes off on JuJu Smith-Schuster in social media rant
The Pittsburgh Steelers have put an emphasis on adding to their wide receiver room this offseason. Most notably, trading for former Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on March 9th. After just a few months of being on the team, Pittman is seemingly trying to recruit a fan favorite back to the Steelers. On Tuesday, Pittman posted several photos of himself in a Steelers uniform and enjoying his new home. Former Steeler and current NFL free agent Juju Smith-Schuster commented under the post, to which Pittman had an interesting response. Pittman and Smith-Schuster played together at USC, and it certainly appears as if Pittman would like to reunite by having his collegiate teammate return to Pittsburgh. Smith-Schuster has not played for the Steelers since 2021. His 1,426 yard and eight touchdown 2018 season, in which he captured the team MVP , cemented him as a fan favorite in the city of Pittsburgh. The receiver has played for the New England Patriots and has had several stints with the Kansas City Chiefs , winning Super Bowl LVII. Smith-Schuster hasn’t recorded over 1,000 yards since his infamous 2018 season. In fact, he hasn’t recorded over 350 yards in a season since 2022. His production has declined dramatically, so it comes down to whether the Steelers think they need more receiver depth and if they are willing to reunite with Smith-Schuster at all. At best, Smith-Schuster would be competing for a depth role with Roman Wilson . For now, it remains all speculation, but it is worth noting that Pittman would like to see the 2017 third rounder back in the black and gold. Would you like to see Juju Smith-Schuster back in a Steelers uniform? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments below! Steelers to try OT Max Iheanachor at multiple positions Antonio Brown goes off on JuJu Smith-Schuster in social media rant Germie Bernard already impressing Steelers coaches at OTAs Steelers OT Troy Fautanu makes feelings clear on potential position change Steelers QB Will Howard surpasses Mason Rudolph to begin OTAs
With OTAs beginning for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team is on the field as a whole for the first time in the Mike McCarthy era. While all the attention has been on the quarterback position, specifically Aaron Rodgers returning for a 22nd season, the Steelers’ offensive line has several new faces – most notably, first-round pick Max Iheanachor. The Arizona State product was drafted as a right tackle, but offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio says that they will try him out at multiple positions on the offensive line. “We’ll move him around,” Angelichio said to the media . “[We’ll] take some looks at him [and] see where he fits well. We’ll certainly give him options. He will learn multiple positions.” The Steelers have already seen a ton of movement on their offensive line. On the first day of OTAs during team periods, Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick went from right tackle and right guard, respectively, to left tackle and left guard. Spencer Anderson was slotted in as the starting right guard and Dylan Cook was in at right tackle. Center Zach Frazier was the only player to stay at his 2025 position. All eyes will be on offensive line coach James Campen and assistant offensive line coach Jahri Evans as they try to find the best combination of players and positions through the rest of the offseason program and training camp. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Antonio Brown goes off on JuJu Smith-Schuster in social media rant Germie Bernard already impressing Steelers coaches at OTAs Steelers OT Troy Fautanu makes feelings clear on potential position change Steelers QB Will Howard surpasses Mason Rudolph to begin OTAs Steelers make big changes on offensive line to begin OTAs
In terms of talent, Antonio Brown is one of the 10 best players to ever put on a Steelers uniform. It’s what has come after that has really stained his legacy. Since leaving the Steelers, a slew of legal issues and social media rants bashing his former team have led many to sour on the former All-Pro receiver. His latest tirade took aim at former teammate JuJu Smith-Schuster , saying that the Steelers tried to make the USC product a better player than Brown. “And the guy they did wanna make better than me fumbled [our] whole season,” Brown said . “And they still gave him MVP because they didn’t wanna give me the fifth one in a row.” Brown then hinted that this played a big part in him wanting out of Pittsburgh. “What would you do if your own team betrayed you? They tried to make the No. 2 be better than you… how do you give a guy who fumbled our season the f–king MVP? You know why? Because they’re jealous of AB.” Brown is of course referencing the 2018 game in New Orleans agains the Saints in which Smith-Schuster fumbled late in the fourth quarter, which led to the Steelers losing and ultimately cost them a playoff spot after starting the season 7-2-1. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Germie Bernard already impressing Steelers coaches at OTAs Steelers OT Troy Fautanu makes feelings clear on potential position change Steelers QB Will Howard surpasses Mason Rudolph to begin OTAs Steelers make big changes on offensive line to begin OTAs Steelers rookie changes jersey number ahead of OTAs
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