The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to trade star wide receiver Antonio Brown to the Buffalo Bills late Thursday night.
The deal first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport came as a surprise to many as the Bills were not one of the "favorite" list to acquire Brown.
A list compiled of the 49ers, Packers, Redskins, Titans and odds on favorite Raiders, conspicuously left the Bills off.
In fact, Buffalo was not named in rumors and were not one of the three teams to reach out to the Steelers about acquiring Brown.
Brown, who requested a trade almost a month ago, has been public about his desire to leave Pittsburgh.
Countless Instagram videos and tweets bashing Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger all but secured Brown's departure from Pittsburgh.
Tensions rose after a game-losing interception thrown by Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a week 12 matchup against the Broncos. Following the loss Roethlisberger criticized Brown's route running.
A disgruntled Brown's lust for respect peaked during a team practice prior to a week 17 meeting against the Bengals. Brown was reportedly sent home due to a disagreement with Roethlisberger and no-showed the week 17 bout, which had playoff implications on the line.
Labeled a locker room distraction by the media, Brown addressed his critics and his worth in an interview with ESPN's Jeff Darling.
Brown will be paired with second-year quarterback Josh Allen and former Eagles' running back LeSean McCoy in Buffalo to finish out the final three years of his contract. Brown is owed $38 million over the next three years with an opt-out following the 2020 season.
Despite the remaining contract, Brown reportedly wants a new a deal and holds the power in the trade confirmation process. Brown also wants to play his way and do things by his standards, which could lead Brown to refuse to play or even threaten to retire rather than play for Buffalo.
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