© Charles LeClaire | 2018 Dec 2
Steelers All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown has reportedly requested a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a number of notable 49ers would like to see him head to the Bay Area.
Following Monday’s news that Brown was benched for the Steelers’ season finale after a disagreement with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, 49ers tight end George Kittle tweeted “Sup?” at Brown. Brown seemed to appreciate it, responding with a smiley face emoji with stars in its eyes.
Sup? @AB84
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) January 1, 2019
— Antonio Brown (@AB84) January 1, 2019
Both Richard Sherman and Jimmy Garoppolo seemed to support Kittle’s recruiting effort.
?…..??♂️….LoL https://t.co/fxwWiwiEAk
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) January 1, 2019
Jimmy G RT’s a tweet from AB responding to George Kittle recruiting AB ??. #49ers pic.twitter.com/e6hg67Mu5e
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) January 1, 2019
Though Brown, 30, wants out, it may take a lot for the Steelers to deal the wideout who finished with 104 receptions for 1,297 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns during the 2018. Pittsburgh would have to pay a $21.1 million cap hit if they trade Brown before the 2020 season. Brown’s current deal with the Steelers runs through 2021, with an average annual salary of $17 million.
The 49ers have been in the market for a true No. 1 wide receiver since John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan took over. The combination of Brown and Kittle would rival the Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce for the most potent WR/TE combination in the NFL. Kittle’s 1,377 receiving yards in 2018 were the most gained in a single-season by a TE in NFL history.
