AFC North Rumors: Bengals, Antonio Brown, Steelers

Bengals

• According to Mike Garafolo, the Bengals are expected to expand their coaching search to include more candidates who are currently working for playoff teams.
• Garafolo says the Bengals preferred to not distract coaches ahead of their playoff games.

Antonio Brown

Former NFL WR James Jones said on NFL Network that a “couple people” within the Steelers told him there has been lingering tension between Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger.

“I have talked to a couple people in the Pittsburgh Steelers organization and they told me this has been lingering on,” Jones said, via Pro Football Talk. “I’ve been told in meetings [Roethlisberger] would take shots at AB. Like, ‘I don’t got to throw you the ball,’ and things like that. Wednesday in practice, I heard he ran the wrong route, Big Ben threw the ball on the ground, said, ‘Get him out of here. Get somebody else in there,’ and that’s when AB was at his boiling point and that’s when he went off.”

Jones went on to suggest that Brown does not have enough respect for Roethlisberger to have a conversation with him about their issues.

“I do think it’s hard to sit down and have a conversation with a man you do not respect or trust,” Jones said.

Steelers

• According to Jason La Canfora, the relationship between Steelers HC Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, along with that of Roethlisberger and Fichtner, have been under scrutiny within the organization for months and some believe it may be too close on both parts.
• Sources with knowledge of the situation have told La Canfora that Tomlin has been in “no jeopardy whatsoever” of losing his job. However, ownership hasn’t considered a change of that magnitude.
• As for Brown, La Canfora reports that the Steelers have yet to have formal organizational meetings about their roster, but they could take place by the end of next week.
• La Canfora says that many in the organization believe it’s unlikely they’ll get approval to trade Brown and they’re interested to see what kind of tone Brown takes when he speaks to ownership about his trade request.