Antonio Brown didn’t skip out on the vast majority of the Pittsburgh Steelers organized team activities to make a statement. Or to disrespect the backup quarterbacks. Or to take a stand alongside running back Le’Veon Bell.

The All-Pro insists he simply felt more comfortable working out back home in Miami Womens Josh Norman Jersey , where he could spend time with his five children and escape what he described as the ”pressure” he faces from outside forces daily in Pittsburgh.

”I needed that precious time with myself to get my mind right,” Brown said Tuesday as the Steelers began a mandatory three-day minicamp.

A move the 29-year-old star called necessary as he prepares for his ninth season. Brown is typically a fixture at the voluntary workouts, where he is usually among the few players in actual football pants instead of shorts.

This spring, however, he participated in the first two days and then jetted off to Florida. The fact that starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger appeared for the first day of OTAs before taking time off for what he called a planned family vacation was purely coincidental.

”I play with any quarterback, no matter who’s here,” Brown said. ”I play with the Steelers. It’s not one guy that I (catch passes from).”

Brown dismissed any insinuation that he left OTAs because he didn’t want to work with the second or third string. He also expressed frustration with media for asking other players to comment on his absence.

”You guys making up stories to ask these guys stuff that they shouldn’t be dealing with,” Brown said. ”You know, that’s the pressure of being a professional athlete. Everyday scrutiny. Everyday pressure. It’s hard to be free.”

Brown, however, struggled to be specific about how the attention that comes with being one of the NFL’s top players negatively affects him.

The only player to have five consecutive seasons with at least 100 receptions stressed he wasn’t calling out Bell when he was questioned last month about Bell’s decision to stay away from the team while waiting to sign his franchise tender.

”You guys paint me a picture to talk about Le’Veon,” Brown said. ”I’m not involved in Le’Veon’s business or his contract. You guys write about it and say `Oh Authentic Andrew Luck Jersey , AB says to show up.’ I just say `The first rule of getting better is show up.’ I didn’t say he got to show up. He’s got his own business.”

The comments by the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver are a bit at odds with the persona he’s cultivated during a career in which he has evolved from a sixth-round pick to a perennial Pro Bowler. His Instagram feed is updated multiple times a day and gives 2.4 million followers access to workouts, highlights, video of his children running track meets or artsy cuts of the multiple Rolls Royces in his driveway.

Lately, though, the posts have taken a different turn. Last week, he called out former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians for labeling him simply as a “special teams guy” and even tweaked coach Mike Tomlin for benching him in favor of Emmanuel Sanders during his rookie season in 2010. Pressed for an explanation, Brown hinted he’s tired of toeing the company line.

”I think you’ve got to start expressing those things that year by year that you go through to get them out of your head,” Brown said. ”I think the more you bottle stuff up and you’re not aware of expressing yourself, that’s when these players have problems.”

Brown’s work ethic has never been in question. As his profile has risen – he’s one of the league’s most marketable players and his exuberant touchdown celebrations have taken on a life of their own – he’s attempted to give longer glimpses into the regimen that’s made him one of the most prolific receivers of his generation. Those posts continued even as he said he wanted to create more time for himself.

”I took a moment to get my mind right from organized team activities,” Brown said. ”It wasn’t even like serious. It’s not even mandatory. It’s volunteer.”

Brown is no longer concerned about his stats but the number of titles he’s won, which remains at zero. It’s the one thing left on his career checklist and the one he feels his career will be judged by. That remains his sole focus even as he lives in a fish bowl of which he’s been a willing architect.

”The game requires a lot of mental happiness and the older you get the more you start thinking about the things that are important,” he said. ”I’ve got five kids Womens Mitchell Trubisky Jersey , a lot of family … the only thing left for me to do playing the game is to win a championship. I had to take a little time to spend time with my family and see what’s important for me.”

—

Jacoby Brissett views Thursday night's preseason finale a little differently than everyone else.

He considers this seemingly meaningless game his golden ticket.

With Andrew Luck's work finished, Brissett is expected to make his first and possibly final start of the season at Cincinnati. And if all goes well for the Indianapolis Colts, Brissett may not even throw another official pass this year.

So for the third-year quarterback who started 15 games last season, this is more than a final tuneup 鈥?it's a chance to show everyone how much he's learned over the past 8陆 months.

"I'll prepare for Thursday's game like I was starting in the Super Bowl," he said.

Of course, Brissett takes his job seriously.

How else would a youngster manage to catch the attention of Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, win the starting job at North Carolina State, convince Bill Belichick to select him in the third round of the 2016 draft and become a full-time starter in his second NFL season?

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound strong-armed Florida native performed admirably in place of Luck, who missed all of 2017 following surgery on his throwing shoulder.

Brissett learned the playbook on the fly after being acquired in a cutdown weekend trade with New England, replaced Scott Tolzien as the starter in Week 2 and kept the job for the rest of the season.

His overall numbers 鈥?276 of 469 with 3,098 yards http://www.jaguarscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-leonard-fournette-jersey , 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions鈥?were solid considering he was sacked a league-high 52 times and he helped put the Colts in position to win several games.

But the Colts blew seven second-half leads, finished 4-12 and missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Now, after backing up Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo as a rookie and being pressed into service last season, Brissett finds himself holding the No. 2 spot on the depth chart as Luck returns.

Through three games, Brissett's quarterback rating is actually better than Luck's. Brissett is 27 of 44 with 327 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions for a rating of 84.2. Luck has a rating of 78.1 with one TD pass and one interception.

Brissett is expected to play at least a half against Cincinnati and sounds more confident and comfortable now that he's had a whole offseason to learn his third offense. After Thursday, though, his playing time will be determined largely by Luck's health.

"It's a totally different feeling, it feels good to be familiar with what you're going into the season with," Brissett said before turning his attention to this week's game.

"It's another opportunity to play in the NFL and it's a treat every time you step out on the field. I'm going to go out there and try to win a football game."

At least Brissett can focus on fine-tuning his game.

Most of the other players suiting up Thursday, including Phillip Walker, are vying for one of the 53 spots on Indy's roster 鈥?or at least are trying to impress enough scouts to get a shot with another team.

Walker certainly will get his chances as Indy's only other healthy quarterback with Brad Kaaya on injured reserve. Walker is expected to take the remaining snaps once Brissett departs.

"You just have to take the mindset that nothing is going to keep me from my dream, that I believe that what I put on tape and what I put on the field is good enough for this team Womens DeSean Jackson Jersey , for the team that I am playing for at the time and if it's not then I am going to take it somewhere else," Colts coach Frank Reich said, referring to his own mindset when he was as an NFL quarterback.

Two other teams reportedly saw enough from Brissett last season to make trade inquiries.

But with Brissett still on his rookie deal this season and next, Luck dealing with a minor foot injury and questions about whether Luck's shoulder will make it through a 16-game season, the Colts are content to keep Brissett so he can continue developing.

And as the final preseason game approaches, Brissett intends to take full advantage of the remaining opportunities.

"It grows on you and it's been fun to learn and just get better," Brissett said when asked about the Colts' new offense. "It's football."

Notes: The Colts have signed linebacker Brandon Chubb and waived running back Tion Green.

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