Antonio Brown to Steelers? Mason Rudolph hesitant team can meet contract demands

The way things went down between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Antonio Brown remains sour to this day. Considered arguably the best wideout in football for several years, things quickly between the two sides. Well, specifically for Brown, as he would only play 16 more NFL games in his tenures with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The wideout has been in a plethora of trouble with the law ever since. That hasn't stopped recently either, as he's been the subject of some controversy regarding the Albany Empire in the AFL. He was originally the owner of the team, but recent reports suggest he is going to be playing for them. It seems Brown is trying to revive his NFL career, as he's tried a few other professions, like rapping and boxing.

The likelihood that he ever returns to the NFL seems very slim at this point. He is 34 years old now, so he's clearly lost some juice. He did send out a cryptic tweet just under a month ago suggesting he would be joining the Baltimore Ravens. That seems like it was a fluff, as everyone figured. Barstool Sports' Jersey Jerry, whom co-hosts the podcast Steel Here with Kevin Adams, wants Brown back in town. Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph responded to the tidbit in a joking manner. 

"Jerry, can you put together this sort of lucrative offer that would lure him away from the rap game? I don't know," Rudolph joked.

As Jerry pointed out, Brown's chances of coming back to the NFL, nonetheless Pittsburgh, are at about 1%. The wide receiver position seems set for the black and gold, and they don't need any unnecessary drama either. As of now, Brown's 12,291 receiving yards are 24th-most in NFL history. His 84.2 yards per game is fourth-best, which includes sitting behind two active wideouts. He was simply one of the best, but he's damaged his reputation the past few years.

Was former Steelers star best WR of his generation?

While Rudolph joked about what it would take to get Brown back, he did offer some positive comments. The two were teammates for a season in 2018, the same year Rudolph was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. If there is one positive thing to compliment Brown for, other than his exceptional football abilities, it's always been his work ethic. Over the years, teammates raved about this attribute of his, including Rudolph.

"What a hard worker and what a great teammate. [He] was great to the rookies, was great to me. This guy's work ethic was insane," Rudolph said on the Steel Here podcast. "He was at training camp in 2018, like waking up at 4 a.m. with his trainer doing like Olympic lifts in the weight room. Just the way he worked was incredible to watch."

These are the kind of stories that you love to hear, and it's why the podcast world has become so big. Fans get inside looks on these players and stories that we typically wouldn't get to hear. 

Rudolph was officially re-signed to a new deal earlier this week, extending his stay in Pittsburgh for at least one more year. It's a move that made sense for both sides.