Andrew Billings had two of the Bengals’ four sacks to extend his team’s NFL-record streak to 48 straight games without a loss
Antonio Brown has thrown up the white flag on the Cincinnati Bengals.
The NFL’s all-time receiver leader has been ruled out for Pittsburgh’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Brown suffered a concussion in the Steelers’ 21-18 win over Kansas City on Sunday, one day after being tied for the league lead with eight touchdown catches.
Brown has a history of head injuries and has acknowledged it has been a struggle to return. On Friday, a player on the Chiefs’ defense took a shot to the head that knocked Brown out cold.
Bengals @Steelers (8-5) and Steelers (@steelers) @broadcastingtonight @ncfacepads @espn pic.twitter.com/6qeyuEZ3Z1 — Ann-Charlotte Cunningham (@AnnCharlotteC) December 10, 2017
A day later, the receiver was hit twice to the head and, after he did not respond, he was carted off the field with Brown later tweeting that he was done for the year.
Steelers’ Antonio Brown carted off with concussion against Chiefs Read more
On Friday night, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said he would not comment on Brown’s injury, leaving open the possibility of a trade.
Brown arrived as a first-round pick in 2010, as the big, silky-smooth deep threat that boosted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s numbers. The two are co-owners of the NFL career touchdown record – 104 and counting.
Brown’s value diminished when receiver Martavis Bryant got suspended and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was drafted in 2016, and dropped in the draft because of his issues in college.
Brown’s focus seemed to fall away last season after Cincinnati’s Geno Atkins sacked him three times during a Week 10 meeting. But Brown did get off a touchdown against the Bengals in the playoffs.
Brown is in the final year of his contract, with a $12.9m base salary. Last year, his $13.12m salary and $1.4m roster bonus were voidable under the NFL’s rule regarding deferred pay. The restriction stems from Brown’s failed drug test for marijuana in 2014.