Antonio Brown was traded to the Oakland Raiders on Saturday in exchange for a third and fifth-round pick. The trade was a long time coming as Brown had previously expressed his discontent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brown had trashed the organization on social media, particularly quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as he felt as though his leadership skills were lacking. While Brown is happy to be with a new team, he made sure to thank the fans in Pittsburgh by purchasing some billboards with the message "Thank You Pittsburgh."
In a press conference yesterday, Brown spoke to the young Steelers fans and offered some words of encouragement.
"To any kid out there from Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh will always be my family," Brown said. "Those guys gave me a chance when I was a 21-year-old kid. Obviously, people are listening to the things that are being said and written. At the end of the day, it's all about how you make people feel. I think I made people feel good and great, really inspired, the way they watched me work, the way they watched me play. I know Steeler Nation is having a bad day today, but it's always love. I encourage every kid who watched me work and was inspired by everything I've done. I hope I continue to be a good example, continue to be a good role model and continue to inspire people."
Brown is joining a Raiders squad that went 4-12 last season.