Pittsburgh Steelers: A Better Antonio Brown in 2015?

The Pittsburgh Steelers and their prolific offense of last year are looking to continue building upon it heading into this upcoming season. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continues to prove he’s one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks thanks to what he brings to the table. Of course he went as far as he did last season thanks to the amazing play of his wide receiver corps, especially Antonio Brown.

In 2014, Brown put up amazing numbers. His 129 receptions for 1,698 yards not only led the NFL this past season, it marked the first time in the long history of the franchise that a Steelers’ player led the league in these categories. Brown also turned 13 of those 129 catches into scores.

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His streak of catching at least five receptions for at least 50 yards in 32 consecutive games so far is a feat that has motivated him tremendously this offseason. Brown missed the all-time receptions in a season record by just 14 grabs (Colts’ WR Marvin Harrison with 143 catches in 2002) which will also fuel his efforts to once again put his name among the best in NFL history. He will very well have that in the back of his head as he mentally prepares for his sixth season to do his part to continue making the Steelers one of the top teams of the AFC.

With how he’s been playing so far during Steelers’ mini-camps, he has the mindset that he will absolutely exceed expectations with extra work being put in and his continued execution. Considering that the Steelers will most likely put wide receiver Markus Wheaton at the slot position, Brown will have the opportunity to play more on the outside and be an even bigger threat on offense.

Even though many analysts feel that Brown might be limited this upcoming season due to his size at 5’10” and 186 pounds, his speed and versatility will continue to surprise even the best defenses coming his way. He makes big plays when his team needs it and if last season was any indication of it, he will definitely surprise many this upcoming season with his ability to get past defensive coverages with his elusiveness.

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Dec 28, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) runs past Cincinnati Bengals strong safety George Iloka (43) to score a sixty-three yard touchdown during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

During the offseason, Brown added on about 5 pounds of pure muscle to his frame. He knows that after playing five seasons so far in the NFL, his health and durability must be on point if he’s to play an entire season healthy and continue adding to the overall success of the Steelers. He continues to outdo his workout routines by pushing his body to ensure he’s ready to truly set the bar high and continue being an overachiever.

According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, here is what fellow teammate Sean Spence had to say about his preparation so far heading into the regular season:

"“He goes the extra mile,” Spence said. “Working out with him, you really get to see why he is the way he is on the field. He’s always doing extra. He’s always doing more. He always goes hard.”"

With Roethlisberger set to push the Steelers even further into the NFL playoffs this upcoming season, expect to see him targeting Brown even more than last year since he knows his contributions will be a major catalyst on offense to keep those chains moving. Needless to say, Brown is ready to step it up and put up another record-breaking season.

Overall, with how rigorously Brown is preparing to really push the envelope with his receiving abilities, he is already on the right track to exceed his expectations. Thanks to adding a little bit of weight and preparing for a breakout season, expect to see a whole new version of Brown that will truly light up the NFL in 2015.

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