Daily Links: Steelers Make Sense for Young; Tomlin Speaks on Fatherhood

Former Albany Empire quarterback Sam Castronova didn’t hold back on his thoughts on majority owner and former Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. Things were in such dismay under Brown that Castronova left to play for the Jacksonville Sharks. Castronova said Brown is literally “the craziest person” he’s ever met.

“The first night of camp he came in, he was really cool. He gave us this speech, ‘I’m here for you guys, I know you guys are chasing your dreams.’ But nothing he ever said he backed up with actions, just all words,” Castronova said on the Sideline Spectator podcast.

Castronova said that AB’s ego is so big that he harassed and bullied the other owner out so he could be in full control.

“Our other owner was so sick of it he sold out for a $1. There was a 5% owner and there was AB and our old owner named Mike [Kwarta] and they were 47.50% and 47.50%. He was literally blackmailing him,” Castronova said. “On his story, he put up an article of him being arrested from like 15 years ago being part of a union firebombing. He put it on his story with clown emojis, this is his other part-owner. He is literally the craziest person I have ever met.”

RELATED: Antonio Brown Recruits Pouncey Twins to Play with His Arena Team

🏈 CBS Sports: Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports thinks the Pittsburgh Steelers are a logical suitor for Washington Commanders pass rusher Chase Young. The Commanders recently declined to exercise the fifth-year option of Young, so he could be on the trade block.

“Mike Tomlin’s defense would be just fine without him, and both T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith have entrenched themselves as homegrown studs off the edge. But since when is Tomlin not interested in exploring new toys on ‘D,’ especially when they have such elite traits? Benjamin wrote. “Fitting him into the 3-4 would take creativity, but as Pittsburgh leans on that side of the ball while growing Kenny Pickett, it makes sense.”

🏈 Warren Sharp: The Pittsburgh Steelers had just 17 offensive plays that gained 30+ yards last year. Only the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals had fewer plays of 30+ yards.

🏈 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Because of the presence of the surrogate fathers in his life, Mike Tomlin wants to be the same man in other people’s lives as well.

“I wanted to gain some awareness about how to maybe be a surrogate dad for the fatherless in my close proximity, whether it was friends of my kids or kids in my community, because being a product of a broken home, I’ve benefited from surrogate fathers,” Tomlin said at the 11th annual ManUp Conference at Victory Family Church in Cranberry Township on Saturday.

Tomlin’s stepdad entered his life at “an appropriate time” in his life, but also stressed the importance of a father figure in a young man’s life.

“Young men need examples, particularly when you’re in that age group … I’m thankful that I had quality men in my life that could model appropriate behavior and conduct. That was probably a better teacher for me than saying the appropriate things,” Tomlin said.

Great day yesterday at @ManUpPittsburgh!

📸: @Ulster21 pic.twitter.com/7aOhyioRUz

— Kent Chevalier (@kentchevalier) June 11, 2023

🎂 Happy Birthday to former Steelers inside linebacker Larry Foote, born on June 12, 1980 in Detroit, Michigan. Foote is a member of the Steelers’ 2005 and 2008 Super Bowl championship teams. Foote signed with his hometown Detroit Lions but he played only one year there before returning to Pittsburgh. Foote played with the Steelers from 2010-2013 in his second stint before playing a season in Arizona to finish his career. In his 13-year NFL career, Foote registered 818 total tackles (552 solos), 65 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, four interceptions and 27 passes defended. Foote immediately got into the coaching field after retirement, serving as the Cardinals linebackers coach. He then followed Bruce Arians to Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl in 2020 as the team’s outside linebackers coach. Foote is currently the passing game coordinator/ inside linebackers coach for the Buccaneers.

🎥  Check out Dionate Johnson working on his hand-eye coordination and yards after the catch with the “Route God.”

Eye – Hand Coordination And YAC @Juiceup__3 @steelers https://t.co/bgFU3n4cmZ pic.twitter.com/vuKaCMMQ1X

— RouteGod (@RouteGod) June 12, 2023

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