Safety Ryan Clark left the Steelers for the Redskins this offseason, after it became clear that the Steelers no longer had a spot on the roster for Clark. Based on the sentiments of players like 2011 and 2013 team MVP Antonio Brown, other Steelers may prefer it that way.
On Sunday, Brown took issue with Clark’s comments from February regarding marijuana use by Steelers players.
“When you see things like that, it shows you how guys feel when they’re not part of the team anymore,” Brown told Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s a form of bitterness or taking a shot at the team because you’re not there anymore.”
Generally, Brown sees a connection between guys saying things they shouldn’t be saying and a broader sense of togetherness.
“When you see people taking shots who were on the same team and wearing the same jerseys, that’s a sign of not having that team camaraderie,” Brown said. “That’s something we need to get back, something we haven’t had for the past two years.”
Specifically, Brown understands why Clark has been talking.
“He’s getting into his career as a reporter and trying to get those things in the works,” Brown said. “I don’t think he meant any harm taking those shots to players as individuals, I just think he was trying to make pointers and make himself sound smart on ESPN.”
Clark does indeed sound smart on ESPN, but his teammates may not feel comfortable with the things he says. Last year, for example, the Steelers gained nothing when Clark claimed on ESPN during the offseason that Tom Brady ducks when blitzed and that Danny Amendola is fragile.
And the next time Brady got a crack at Clark and company, the Patriots racked up 55 points and Brady’s passer rating was 151.8. And Amendola caught four passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.
Clark also said last year that the key to defending quarterback Robert Griffin III is to be physical with him. The other teams that will be playing Clark’s new team this year will surely appreciate that advice, even if Clark’s current teammates (one of them specifically) won’t.
