Antonio Brown is known for using social media to make waves, and he did so again Monday, posting a tweet urging teammate Le'Veon Bell to sign his contract.
If you don't speak emoji, the pencil-and-paper graphic is a reference to the one-year franchise player tender Bell will need to sign to get on the field this season after failing last week to reach an agreement on a long-term deal with the team. It's not clear whether he will do so before the start of training camp later this week in Latrobe, Pa.
Brown clearly feels it's important that Bell wrap up his off-field business on time, so much so that he's taken the unorthodox approach of commenting on a teammate's contract situation publicly for the second time in as many days. He also chimed in from his youth football camp Sunday, telling WPXI's Chase Williams:
"I was talking to him last night for about two hours. And, you know, we need him. I need him. ... We need every guy a part of the organization, in the helmet, to be there committed to the cause. He's a special piece. Obviously we know what he brings to the team, his dimension, playing football. But he's a special individual, and I pray that we have him there."
The sentiment in the comments is understandable coming from a player such as Brown, who recently signed a long-term deal. He wants to win and feels having Bell in camp from the start would be helpful in that pursuit.
It's somewhat surprising, though, to see that sentiment expressed so openly, as players are typically leery of wading into each other's contractual affairs. As of this writing, Bell has not responded publicly to either the comments or the tweet, though Brown suggested they've talked extensively as recently as this weekend.
Players report to Saint Vincent College on Thursday, so we'll know by then whether Brown's approach proves effective.
