Steelers News

Ex-Steelers Player Reveals Source of Big Ben-AB Drama

What ended up causing a rift between Big Ben and Antonio Brown while with the Pittsburgh Steelers? One former player has an idea.

Published

2 days ago

June 28, 2024

Nick Farabaugh

Antonio Brown Ben Roethlisberger Steelers

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 24: Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) and Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Antonio Brown (84) walk onto the field during an NFL football game between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Indianapolis Colts on November 24, 2016, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis IN.The Pittsburg Steelers defeated the Indianapolis Colts 28-7. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire)

When Antonio Brown requested a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 season, a large portion of that request came from a reported rift between Brown and his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. However, precisely what caused that rift has remained a mystery. However, former Steelers long snapper Kameron Canaday, who played with the team from 2017 to 2020, has an idea of what could have caused the clash.

Canaday believes it is tied to Brown wanting to work harder than everybody, but Roethlisberger did not view it the same way. As a result, Canaday believes that Roethlisberger’s taking it easy throughout the week may have irked Brown, which caused a blowup.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 18: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) during the first half of an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 18, 2018, at TIAA Bank Field. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire)

“During camp, when guys were trying to work their absolute ass off to make the team, and he [Brown] still blowing everyone out of the water, still outworking them,” Canaday said on the Keep Hammering Collective Podcast. “The guy had a motor, he didn’t slow down, and he was like that for 16 weeks, and I think that’s probably why him and Ben [Roethlisberger] probably got into it a little bit, because Ben had his two Super Bowls, and he got banged up, and Ben would sit out a little bit. He just liked to take it easy until Sunday.”

Brown has recently talked about his regrets about how that relationship ended and has stated his love for Roethlisberger for even getting him on the football field. And they still stand the test of time as one of the more dynamic quarterback and wide receiver duos in the last 20 years.

Regardless of how it went down, Brown’s trade to the Oakland Raiders ended the Killer B’s era. Le’Veon Bell darted to the New York Jets, and Roethlisberger suffered a severe elbow injury, all leading to their decline in the league from that point on.