Brown’s iPhone catches salty side of Pittsburgh’s victory celebration
Chiefs’ Reid, Kelce disagree with holding call; Redskins interview Rob Ryan for DC
Antonio Brown wanted to let the world in on the party when he live-streamed the giddy celebration in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room after an 18-16 playoff win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The All-Pro wide receiver also happened to catch coach Mike Tomlin indelicately describing the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh’s opponent in the AFC championship game.
Tomlin’s word choice, which was profane, apparently didn’t bother his players as Brown threw back the curtain on what is usually a private moment.
“Personally I’d like some of that stuff sacred,” long snapper Greg Warren said Monday. “But this is a changing world, a changing environment. I can’t be some old guy stuck under a rock, that’s for sure.”
Brown’s 17-minute video collected more than 900,000 views in a few hours before being removed (though it lives on through YouTube).
It included players dancing and Tomlin — who was out of the shot and unaware it was being filmed but who could be heard clearly in the packed locker room — beginning his postgame speech by telling his team to “say very little moving forward” then adding “we spotted those [expletive] a day and a half.”
New England advanced to the AFC title game by beating Houston on Saturday night, 24 hours before Pittsburgh held off the Chiefs.
Guard Ramon Foster said he “would love to hear [Brown’s] explanation” but downplayed any concerns about the video becoming a distraction in the wake of Pittsburgh’s ninth straight victory.
It’s not unusual for Brown to use social media in the locker room during the week or occasionally after games, even though it might run afoul of league policy.
“I don’t think that overshadowed it,” Foster said. “You guys know what that was. It’s a bunch of guys having fun, talking, enjoying themselves. That’s simply what that was. It wasn’t anything malicious. It just happens that [Brown’s] iPhone is really good.”
Besides, Foster hardly thinks New England (15-2) will use Tomlin mildly dissing them as an incentive, not with a chance to reach a seventh Super Bowl under Bill Belichick at stake.
“The Patriots watched our game, they know everything about us,” Foster said. “They know for us to be in this game is not a secret. They’re going to study everything we do, so it’s not like we’re going to sneak up on them. It just so happened they heard what the coach was going to say. That’s it.”
New England beat Pittsburgh, 27-16, on Oct. 23 behind two touchdowns from Tom Brady and 127 rushing yards from LeGarrette Blount. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and wide receiver Antonio Brown celebrate after Pittsburgh’s 18-16 victory over Kansas City in the AFC championship game.
Pittsburgh (13-5) played without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who sat out while recovering from surgery on his left knee. Reid, Kelce disagree with holding penalty: Chiefs coach Andy Reid doesn’t believe the holding penalty on left tackle Eric Fisher that cost Kansas City a tying 2-point conversion against Pittsburgh on Sunday night should have been called.
After watching film of the decisive play in the Steelers’ 18-16 playoff win, when Fisher appeared to pull Steelers pass rusher James Harrison to the ground with about three minutes left, Reid came away with the same opinion as Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — though he conveyed it a bit more diplomatically.
“There’s certain things you agree with and disagreed with during games,” Reid said Monday. “I don’t want to be fined any money, but I’d lean a different way.”
Kelce certainly didn’t seem worried about a potential fine Sunday night.
In the 90 seconds that he spoke to reporters before the Chiefs’ communications staff cut him off, the tight end ripped into referee Carl Cheffers and his crew. Kelce openly questioned the integrity of the officials and said Cheffers “shouldn’t be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again.”
“He shouldn’t be able to wear it at Foot Locker,” Kelce said. Redskins interview Rob Ryan: Washington interviewed Rob Ryan for their defensive coordinator position.
The team confirmed that the longtime NFL assistant interviewed Monday. Ryan was most recently the Bills’ assistant head coach/defense this past season under his brother Rex, a former Ravens defensive coordinator.
Ryan has been defensive coordinator for the Raiders, Browns, Cowboys and Saints. Buffalo ranked 19th in defense this season, and New Orleans was last in 2015.
Former Jaguars coach Gus Bradley also interviewed to be the Redskins defensive coordinator. They also had interest in Wade Phillips, who was hired for that position with the Rams under former Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay. Ratings record: The Packers’ 34-31 win over the Cowboys on Sunday was seen by an average of 48.5 million viewers on Fox, the most-viewed NFL divisional-round game ever.
The game had a 26.1 rating and 46 share, the network said, the highest-rated NFC divisional-round game since 1997.
Pittsburgh’s victory over Kansas City, shifted to prime time Sunday night because of bad weather, was seen by 37.4 million people on NBC and its digital platform, including 37.1 million on the network. End zone: Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman played the second half of the season with an injured knee, although he was never listed on any injury report. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said that Sherman had an MCL injury, similar to the ones suffered by quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Tyler Lockett earlier in the season. Sherman typically sat out at least one practice per week starting around midseason. … Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels expressed appreciation for the opportunity to interview with the 49ers but says for now he will remain in New England. He said during a conference call that the decision was what’s “best for my family and myself” and that he will stay with the Patriots to focus on this year’s playoffs and finish out the season “however it turns out.” … Texans offensive coordinator George Godsey will not return next season. The team announced the move, saying that the team and Godsey “have mutually agreed to part ways.” … The Jets signed right guard Brian Winters to a four-year contract extension. Winters was scheduled to become a free agent in March.