Brown’s video fun, but not cause for alarm

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Was the video silly and unnecessary? Absolutely. But hurtful in any way? I don’t think so. Much of it was nothing more than Brown with a ridiculous smile. If you watch it enough, it will make you laugh. I watched parts several times and I didn’t see the same narcissistic, lookat-me player that I did when Brown was twerking and humping earlier in the season and hurting his team. I saw a guy who was having the time of his life.

Did it violate locker-room sanctity? I guess, but is there such sanctity anymore? The NFL encourages more and more access to its coaches and players. The networks and NFL Films are given total access and their cameras and microphones are on the field during games and in the locker rooms before and after games. The difference is that Brown’s video was uncensored, showing teammates as they undressed, the team prayer and Tomlin’s speech to the players. It’s hard to imagine the teammates will hold it against Brown. “That’s just Antonio being Antonio,” they will say. Not even Tomlin can be that mad. He has to know Brown does the Facebook Live thing and has made at least one cameo in one of his earlier videos.

Was Brown’s video disrespectful to Tomlin? You could make that argument because Brown was paying no attention to the team prayer or to Tomlin’s speech. But I don’t believe Brown intended to send that message. He simply was caught up in the moment. No one on the Steelers works harder than Brown. He will do anything to make a play. That shows Tomlin ultimate respect.

Does the video make Tomlin look bad? Hardly. So he used a certain f-word once or twice and a scatological term to describe the Patriots? Let me tell you a secret: Most coaches talk that way to their team in the emotional moments after a game. If Tomlin looked bad at all, it was for whining about how the Patriots have an extra day-and-a-half to prepare for the game.

He usually isn’t a guy who looks for excuses. If the Steelers had won more in the season, they might have played the Chiefs at home and wouldn’t have had to travel much of Sunday night to get home.

Will Brown’s video provide extra motivation for the Patriots? You have got to be kidding. Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are going for a fifth Super Bowl title, which would be a record for a coach and his quarterback. That’s all the motivation they need.

Will the Patriots be offended by the word Tomlin used to describe them? Please. Belichick and Brady know every NFL team hates them. Most of it is jealousy because the Patriots win so much and are in the AFC title game for the sixth consecutive year. Throw in the fact they have been caught cheating not once, but twice with Spygate and Deflategate and the hatred goes to another level. It’s no surprise Brady looked down his nose at Brown’s video and said, sniffing, Monday on his WEEI radio show in Boston, “I don’t think that would go over well with our coach.” Of course, he was going to say that. So what?

The Patriots could and probably should win Sunday night, but the Brown video will have zero impact on the outcome.

Is Brown a distraction for the Steelers? I say no. Joey Porter’s confrontation outside a South Side club a week earlier was much worse than the video.

Did that have a negative impact on the Chiefs game? Hello, the Steelers won!

You should be hoping Brown causes a similar distraction after the game in New England. That will mean the Steelers are headed to Super Bowl LI.

I can’t wait to see that Brown video.

Does the video make Tomlin look bad? Hardly. So he used a certain f-word once or twice and a scatological term to describe the Patriots? Let me tell you a secret: Most coaches talk that way to their team in the emotional moments after a game.