Among all the notable additions the Oakland Raiders made this offseason, the arrival of wide receiver Antonio Brown has ushered in the most hype going into the 2019 NFL season.
There was plenty of speculation regarding Brown’s future following his unceremonious departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers. As the Raiders looked to add depth to their receiving corps, they managed to bring in a bonafide No. 1 option in the passing game moving forward.
Despite all the tumultuous headlines, Brown is still widely regarded as one of the NFL’s elite wideouts. More importantly, he also happens to be one of its most competitive.
According to Kyle Martin of the team’s official website, he is hoping his competitive nature will rub off on his teammates:
“I think it’s contagious for the young guys to see the level of passion, level of finishing regarding what I bring to the field,” Brown said to reporters Tuesday. “We have to continue to inspire each other while we’re out here on the field.”
He added, “It’s the beginning of Phase One of OTAs, still a long way to go. I bring a knack for finishing, a knack for competing, challenging guys. You can ask my teammates about that, I’m just here to put it on display.”
Brown added that building team chemistry is also important around this time of year.
“The camaraderie is key,” Brown said. “Any team you need camaraderie to win. To know the guys and have their back, so that’s why we’re here today. Build camaraderie, show the guys what I’m about, and continue to build it.”
There is certainly plenty of truth to Brown’s comments. Although most teams are simply going through the motions during OTAs, it is clear that he is trying to pick up the intensity as the offseason progresses.
The Raiders have welcomed plenty of new faces since the arrival of head coach Jon Gruden and, in many ways, they are still growing accustomed to each other amidst all the changes. Brown feels the best way to break the ice is by building a rapport through their on-field battles.
While Brown may undoubtedly be one of the NFL’s most polarizing players, there is no denying that few players share the same type of competitive mentality that he has. He seems to be adamant about instilling that approach in his teammates as well as they look to enjoy a potential resurgence in the 2019 campaign.
