When it comes to the NFL, the debate of best of all time at any given position is just fuel for a heated argument. Aside from a consensus about who is at the top at any position, trying to sort out a Top 10 is an even more daunting task.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have several players who could be considered in the Top 10 of their respective positions. This includes wide receiver where Pittsburgh has three former stars in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But when Ian Valentino of The 33rd Team put out of his list of the 10 best receivers of all time, he included a different former Steeler.
Valentino put Antonio Brown at No. 8 all-time but did not include Hines Ward, John Stallworth or Lynn Swann anywhere on the list. Here’s what he had to say about Brown.
Antonio Brown’s achievements on the field make an easy case for his entry into the NFL Hall of Fame. Having clinched a Super Bowl title and earned first-team All-Pro honors four times, along with a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, Brown altered the perception of being a dominant wide receiver. Standing at just 5-foot-10 and weighing 185 pounds, Brown was virtually unstoppable at his peak.
The bulk of Brown’s impressive stats were accumulated from 2013 to 2018, though he had already made a Pro Bowl appearance in his sophomore year in 2011. During this six-year period, he consistently caught at least 101 passes each season, never dipping below 1,284 yards or eight touchdowns.
He topped the league in receptions and yards twice and in touchdowns once. His most prolific season in 2015 saw him reel in 136 catches for a staggering 1,834 yards.
He’s 25th in yards, 21st in receptions, 26th in touchdowns, and third in yards per game. But self-inflicted mistakes cut his career short, producing only 91 receptions for 1,084 yards and nine touchdowns after turning 31. His lack of longevity in his later years hurt his argument for landing higher, but his peak is impossible to erase.
Putting aside all of Brown’s nonsense, there is little doubt he’s the most talented receiver in Steelers history. And his six-season stretch from 2013-2018 is unmatched in NFL history. His status as a Hall of Famer is far more debatable given the length of his career and off-field issues.
