Antonio Brown might have played his last game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The ultra-talented wide receiver didn't play in his team's Week 17 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and reportedly has had issues with head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Trade rumors involving Brown have swirled since these reports of issues within the Steelers surfaced, and one Pro Football Hall of Famer sees the New England Patriots as a "viable" trade destination for the wideout.
Here's what Cris Carter had to say about that on Wednesday's episode of "First Things First" on FOX Sports 1.
Carter is right that the Patriots will be in win-now mode for the rest of Tom Brady's career, and few wide receivers, if any, are better than Brown. He's an elite offensive player and likely would thrive with Brady as his quarterback. Brown and Brady also shared a private message on Instagram in September in which the Steelers star called the Patriots quarterback the "GOAT."
There are a few roadblocks to a potential trade, one of them being the Steelers probably don't want to deal one of the league's best players to a top rival in the AFC. However, the Steelers have to make the best deal possible if they do decide to trade Brown. They need to maximize the remaining career of Roethlisberger, who despite being 36 years old is still pretty good.
The upcoming offseason should be a very interesting one for the Patriots, and any rumors of Brown being a target for New England surely would add to the craziness.
New England Patriots
Find the latest New England Patriots news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.