Kevin Colbert Thinks Antonio Brown Belongs in the Hall of Fame
Former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown told Jason Whitlock last month that he and Ben Roethlisberger will headline the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027. Roethlisberger is a shoo-in as first-ballot, but Brown’s road to Canton is rather murky due to an endless amount of off-the-field issues that ended his career earlier than it should have. He was on pace to match Jerry Rice’s numbers.
Brown’s run of 100+ receptions and 1,000+ receiving yards in six straight years (2013-2018) is unprecedented in NFL history. For that reason, he should be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Overall, Brown recorded 928 receptions for 12,291 yards and 83 touchdowns in 146 career games. His 83 touchdown receptions are tied with Calvin Johnson, a first-ballot choice.
Brown also won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was selected to seven pro bowls and named first-team All-Pro four times, and is on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.
Former Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said during a recent appearance on the All Things Covered podcast that Brown is without a doubt a Hall of Famer. He thinks it’s not even debatable.
“I don’t think that can even be debated,” Colbert told former Steelers cornerbacks Bryant McFadden and Patrick Peterson.
Brown wasn’t the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but his incredible work ethic separated himself from the rest of the pack. His work ethic was often cited as obsessive.
“The thing that separated AB was his work ethic. He might not have been the first in the building, but boy, when he got in there, it was on. On the practice field, every rep he was trying and he was trying to dominate. And for the most part, he would,” Colbert said.
“We all get caught up in 40 (yard dash) speeds, and I’m still gonna be the old school. Let’s watch the film. Who’s getting deep, who’s making plays? And AB could do that in every phase of wide receiver play. The thing he developed was that ability to make that contested catch against corners that were bigger than him.”
Like Terrell Owens, Antonio Brown most likely won’t be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But he definitely has a case for the HOF. Brown was one of the best of his era. Despite off-the-field issues, that can’t be disputed.
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