Brown did not play in Sunday’s season finale, which saw the Steelers miss out on the playoffs despite a 16-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, having reportedly been benched for getting into an altercation with a team-mate during practice and missing a meeting the night before the game.
He was officially listed as DNP (did not participate) in practice due to a coach’s decision and a knee injury.
Confirming the timeline at a media conference, Tomlin said Brown expressed soreness in his lower body last Wednesday and was sent to get an MRI exam on Friday. However, the Steelers were unable to reach Brown after he failed to show up and skipped Saturday’s walkthrough.
Tomlin, who said he was an “active participant” in trying to contact Brown, added: “[I] woke up Sunday morning, got a call from his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who expressed that he was feeling better and would be able to participate. I outlined to Drew that decisions weren’t made like that, but I would be interested in visiting with him at the stadium prior to the game, but playing wasn’t on the menu.”
CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported on Tuesday that Brown had requested a trade, though in a conflicting report NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport said he had not officially done so.
“I’m not going to speculate on trades and things of that nature,” Tomlin said. “We haven’t formally received a request in that regard, so I’m not going to speculate in terms of where the discipline might go and things of that nature.”
However, asked if there was a point in which distraction can outweigh talent, Tomlin replied: “Certainly.”
During Tomlin’s meeting with the media, Brown published a cryptic post on social media that read: “My options may seem limited by people or circumstances. It is then that I remind myself I am in command of my attitude.
“I am divinely blessed with free will. I utilise that gift, choosing to take charge of my life; to express the creativity, vitality, and wholeness that truly define me.”
The four-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver has also continued to stoke trade speculation with his activity on social media.
After seemingly responding positively to an apparent recruitment tweet by San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle, he has since followed the accounts of the Niners and several of their players on social media and posted an image of wall-art featuring San Francisco legend Jerry Rice on his Instagram account.
Brown caught more than 100 passes for the sixth consecutive year this season. He signed a four-year, $68 million extension in February 2017.
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