Oakland Raiders fans have been in a celebratory mode the last few days after it was revealed the team had pulled off a blockbuster trade, acquiring Antonio Brown from the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With the new league year starting on Wednesday, that trade finally became official and the Raiders held an introductory press conference for Brown that afternoon.
In his first statement as a member of the Raiders, Brown expressed his excitement to be with the team, according to the team’s official website:
“I am extremely grateful to be here. What a great opportunity for me and my family. I know I’m excited just how I got here and I’m looking forward to making these guys proud.”
Brown has seven 1,000-yard seasons in his nine-year NFL career, being named a Pro-Bowler six times and All-Pro four times while also playing in 10 postseason games. He has had at least 100 yards receiving in five of his last six postseason games.
Originally a sixth round draft pick of the Steelers, Brown is known to be one of the hardest workers in the league. He is hoping that he can bring that accountability and leadership to the locker room coming off a 4-12 season:
“I bring accountability. I bring actions. Not what I say, what I do. How I approach things. Holding guys accountable in the receiver room, developing the pot, challenging guys if you drop a ball we are going to have a pot, just super accountability. Maybe at the end of practice when I’m doing my jugs machine they will bring the whole group over to see the jugs machine, that way every guy in the group know we counting on you to make that catch. I’m there watching you work making that catch too because when we are all there, we are all there together.
There already has been video footage captured of Brown working out with his new quarterback, Derek Carr. His commitment to winning is something that head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock hope will become infectious in the Raiders locker room and so far, things are off to a good start.
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