Antonio Brown Thinks Steelers Should Retire Terry Bradshaw’s Number

No. 84, of course, is well-known to be former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown’s number. Wide receiver Rico Bussey was given No. 84 in training camp and the preseason in 2021, but no player has donned No. 84 in a regular season game since Brown left Pittsburgh following the 2018 season.

That’s going to change this year, however, The Steelers announced on Thursday that wide receiver/running back and kickoff return specialist Cordarrelle Patterson will wear No. 84.

Brown joked on X that he might have to retire with the Raiders.

On a serious note, though. Brown doesn’t understand why the Steelers have only three officially retired jersey numbers — Ernie Stautner (70), Joe Greene (75) and Franco Harris (32).

“Truth be told how the @steelers only got 3 retired jerseys at this point. Should have 5 plus just off Steel Curtain. I’m still a Steeler for life but damn. Retire #12 #43 and after HOF #7 already so they families can enjoy it,” Brown wrote on X.

All of the Steelers legends from the 1970s are currently in their 70s. And with Franco Harris unexpectedly passing away a few days before his number retirement ceremony in December of 2022, Brown would like to see Bradshaw honored immediately.

“Retire #12 @steelers. Terry Bradshaw is 75. What we waiting on?” Brown said.

AB brings up a valid point, and it’s something that many in the fanbase and media have been calling for. Bradshaw has not always been on good terms with the organization, but he won four Super Bowls with the franchise as the starting quarterback. He was the MVP for two of the Super Bowls. He threw a touchdown in the fourth quarter in all four Super Bowl wins. He’s also the last Steeler to win League MVP, which was in 1978. How does Bradshaw not have his number officially retired?

In a column in February, Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette blasted the Steelers for not having Bradshaw’s No. 12 jersey retired already. He thinks Ben Roethlisberger will have his number officially retired someday, but there’s no way he should get it before Bradshaw.

“It’s actually embarrassing that the Steelers have not retired Bradshaw’s jersey. Name me another football city in America that wouldn’t officially retire the number of a quarterback who went 4-0 in Super Bowls and won two Super Bowl MVP awards,” Starkey wrote.

“Only three Steelers (Ernie Stautner, Joe Greene, Franco Harris) have had their jerseys officially retired. Arguments could be made for several others from the legendary 1970s teams and beyond — Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Mike Webster, etc. — but Bradshaw was the most important player. He was the quarterback, right?

“Those teams were so great they probably would have won a Super Bowl with you are I behind center, but there’s no way they come close to four without Bradshaw, who was the greatest clutch deep-ball passer of all-time. This guy wasn’t West Coast dinking and dunking his way down the field. He was launching legendary missiles in each of the final three Super Bowl wins. ”