Even with all the drama surrounding Antonio Brown in Pittsburgh, there’s still at least one player who wants to see the wide receiver return to the Steelers next season. Rumors have been rampant surrounding Brown — who didn’t play in the Steelers’ season finale victory — about possible beef with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, as well as chatter that the team is listening to trade offers. Brown even removed Pittsburgh from his Twitter bio, for what it’s worth. But if you ask JuJu Smith-Schuster, he doesn’t want to see No. 84 traded away. “No, I don?t want AB traded,” Smith-Schuster replied to a fan question on his YouTube channel, as transcribed by theScore. “He makes me better. He makes the team better. He’s awesome. He’s a great dude. “For myself, I learn a lot from him – just playing with him,” he added. “If I want to increase my game to be the best, I gotta compete against him. So, I do not want him traded.” While team president Art Rooney II made it clear the Steelers won’t release Brown, he did note it was difficult envisioning him with the club come the 2019 NFL season. Thumbnail photo via Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports Images<doc-sep>It's been a busy start to 2019 for Antonio Brown and for all the wrong reasons. One of league's best wide receivers went missing days before the Steelers faced the Bengals in a must-win Week 17 game, and things have unraveled from there. CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported two weeks ago that Brown has requested -- but not demanded -- a trade and that the wide receiver has issues with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and coach Mike Tomlin. Days later, during his final press conference of the 2018 season, Tomlin told reporters that there had been no formal trade request but conceded that "lack of communication" was a key factor in the series of events that led to Brown not playing against the Bengals. When asked if Brown quit on his team, Tomlin said, "You can call it what you want." We've even written about possible landing spots for Brown should a trade happen, and have the Steelers finding his replacement in our latest mock draft. But the player with the most to gain from Brown's departure doesn't want him to leave. In a YouTube Q&A with fans, JuJu Smith-Schuster was asked if he wanted Brown traded. "No, I don't want AB traded," Smith-Schuster said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "He makes me better. He makes the team better. He's awesome. He's a great dude. "For myself, I learn a lot from him -- just playing with him. If I want to increase my game to be the best, I gotta compete against him. So, I do not want him traded." It's crazy to even have this conversation; Brown led the league with 15 touchdowns in 2018 and he's had six straight seasons of at least 1,200 receiving yards. But here we are. Steelers president Art Rooney II told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week that it would be "hard to envision" Brown with the team in training camp, adding that while they wouldn't release the mercurial star, "all other options are on the table." Since the season has concluded, Brown has tweeted about his Pro Bowl snub, tweeted a cryptic response to Rooney's remarks, been called out by former teammate Ryan Clark, and took to Instagram last week -- along with Chad Johnson -- to defend himself. "For all the negative speculations about my character, I'll be addressing it soon," Brown said, via TMZ. "I'll be sure to tap in with you guys, but it's all positive. I'm 31, I'm still excited to play, I'm here with one of my mentors, one of my brothers. Right now man, I'm just embracing the New Year, the start of something fresh. That's all I can really give you all right now. But yes I'm 31 and still excited to play the game. I'm motivated, inspired, encouraged. Stay by the phone, my phone lines open." Brown hasn't yet delivered that message but whatever happens, Smith-Schuster wants him to remain in Pittsburgh where the duo combined for 215 catches, 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns.<doc-sep>The Pittsburgh Steelers have had their hands full with Antonio Brown over the last few weeks. Brown missed the team's final game of the season after having an alleged altercation with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at practice. There have even been reports that he wants to be traded and that the Steelers would be willing to move him. Despite all this, Brown's fellow Steelers receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is speaking out, saying he doesn't want Brown to go. "No, I don't want AB traded," Smith-Schuster said in a YouTube video posted on Sunday. "He makes me better. He makes the team better. He's awesome. He's a great dude." "For myself, I learn a lot from him—just playing with him," JuJu added. "If I want to increase my game to be the best, I gotta compete against him. So, I do not want him traded. Despite JuJu's wishes, it appears as though Brown wants to become a member of the San Francisco 49ers, according to Jerry Rice. The Hall of Fame wide receiver spoke with Brown over Facetime and as Rice explains, Brown wants to play in San Fran "Really Bad." This news isn't surprising considering Brown has had interactions with other 49ers players on Twitter these past few weeks.<doc-sep>
Brown has been at odds with the Steelers since he sat out the team's Week 17 matchup against the Bengals. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster does not want teammate Antonio Brown to be traded. In a Q&A YouTube video that was posted on Sunday, Smith-Schuster answered a number of questions, including one that asked if Smith-Schuster wanted to see Brown leave Pittsburgh this offseason. "No, I don't want AB traded," Smith-Schuster responded. "He makes me better. He makes the team better. He's awesome. He's a great dude." "For myself, I learn a lot from him—just playing with him," Smith-Schuster continued. "If I want to increase my game to be the best, I gotta compete against him. So, I do not want him traded." Brown has been at odds with the Steelers since he sat out the team's Week 17 matchup against the Bengals due to a dispute with Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh owner Art Rooney II said last week that the team will not release Brown, but "all other options are on the table." Rooney added that he would speak with other players to see how they feel, but that it would be "hard to envision" Brown with the team when they report to training camp in July. Smith-Schuster was voted Pittsburgh's MVP after leading the team wih 111 receptions for 1,426 yards. According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, Smith-Schuster's recognition may have set off Brown's dispute with the Steelers. Brown led the league with 15 touchdowns in 2018 and has had six straight seasons of at least 1,200 receiving yards.