Antonio Brown Has Designs on Another Super Bowl Run and a Cool Summer Side Gig

The Tom Brady of wide receivers—Brown, just like the Patriots QB, was a sixth-round pick —thinks he’s just scratching the surface.

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Complex Original

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He is one of the best receivers in the NFL. Ranked No. 4 on the NFL Top 100, he’s led the NFL in receptions for the last two seasons, and will probably be the No. 1 pick in plenty of fantasy football drafts this summer. If you didn't already know, Antonio Brown is among the most talented players in the NFL these days.

After hauling in a career-high 136 catches, improving upon those numbers and the above accolades will be easier said than done for the Steelers superstar in 2016. But the Tom Brady of wide receivers—Brown, just like the Patriots QB, was a sixth-round pick —thinks he’s just scratching the surface.

“The journey is never ending,” Brown told Complex Sports Friday. “There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity, you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment. You can always get better. The day you stop getting better is the day you shouldn’t be living. Gotta constantly improve and continue to grow within yourself.”

That’s why the 27-year-old spent part of his off-season designing backpacks.

Brown collaborated with Sprayground and its creative director David Ben-David on black and gold backpacks, all donned with a “#84” that he’ll be rocking once the Steelers begin training camp at the end of the month.

Brown, who spent the day in Manhattan discussing his role in the project mixed with a little football, said he has been a fan of the company since 2010. He actually reached out to Sprayground about working together on designs and both sides were quick to come to an agreement.

“It’s an honor to even see a little kid wearing the product,” Ben-David said, “but to even get celebrities wearing the product is another level. It’s humbling, almost.”

Brown said that each bag represents a message and a vision.

“My favorite part is having and idea, having a goal, and put it on paper and then going out and see it become a past,” he said. “We want everyone who have the bag to feel like they got a piece of me and everyone’s supporting me. The bag resembles who you are.”

Brown liked the idea of having a Super Bowl ring on one of his backpacks in the near future. But the ring won’t appear on the fabric until the Steelers do the work to get it on their finger. And being that he's a Steeler, where success is ultimately measured in titles and not playoff appearances, Brown knows there's a lot of work to do.

“We gotta show up and pay attention to details, embracing the process of hard work, and developing our bodies and minds to get ready for the season," he said.

The Steelers’ season was cut short last year by the champion Broncos in the Divisional Round of the AFC Playoffs, a game in which Brown was absent because of a concussion he suffered after a hit to the head from Bengals’ linebacker Vontaze Burfict, the same blow that inspired Cincy CB Adam “Pacman” Jones to say that Brown “deserved a Grammy” (wrong awards show, Pacman) for faking the injury, but he apologized for his comments after Brown missed the game against Denver.

After making the playoffs in four of his six seasons in the league, and falling to the Packers in Super Bowl XLV as a rookie, only one thing is on his mind: the Lombardi Trophy.

“[We need to] be detail-oriented, understand our assignment, what we envision, what we desire to be, and that’s nothing less than a world champion,” Brown said. “We gotta have every guy prepare like it, buy into the grind and embracing it, and being the best team we can be starting in training camp. Creating it right now so when it’s time for the fall, we’re hardened by the journey.”

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered through several injuries last season, forcing him to play in just 12 games. But the receiver likes the Steelers’ chances with Ben Ben at the helm.

“Ben is a main compartment of our team,” Brown said. “We go as far as he goes, and that’s the responsibility of playing quarterback. That’s the great part of having a great quarterback; you’re only as good as your quarterback, and it’s great to have him on our team.”

Brown struggled with Big Ben sidelined, putting up just 11 catches for 111 yards in the first three games without Roethlisberger while Mike Vick was mostly under center. When Landry Jones filled in void, Brown’s number’s improved. He grabbed six balls, putting up 124 yards receiving. But Landry isn’t Roethlisberger and Brown knows better than anybody these days that you’re only as good as your quarterback.

 

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