[ad_1]
Getty Images
Boston kept a close eye on Tom Brady’s first Super Bowl appearance for a team other than the Patriots and it wasn’t the only other NFL city with ties to this year’s Buccaneers team.
The Steelers have many ties to Tampa. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians served as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator for five seasons, while Bucs assistants Byron Leftwich, Larry Foote and Antwan Randle-El have all played for the team. The same was true for defensive tackle Steve McLendon and cornerback Ross Cockrell, but the active player with the deepest history in Pittsburgh is probably wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Brown played for the Steelers for nine seasons, but his tenure with the team ended in acrimony at the end of the 2018 season. Brown forced a rally away from the team after missing practices , criticizing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and generally making life miserable for the team. Despite all of this, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert had a positive response to Sunday’s victory.
“I was happy that AB won a Super Bowl trophy,” Colbert told WDVE, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s something unique. Once a player has done that, there is nothing else that can compare. When you get this first it is unique and you will remember it. Those [ex-Steelers], I know they enjoyed it. It was a special group. And we are happy for them all.
Brown’s behavior with the Raiders led to a short stint with them and sexual assault charges ended his time with the Patriots after a game. He also served an eight-game suspension to start this season and the distance it all provides since his stint with the Steelers may have made it easier for Colbert to find a smile for Sunday’s draw.
[ad_2]
Source link