Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made some critical comments about plays from last Sunday’s game involving wide receivers Antonio Brown and James Washington in a radio interview earlier this week and said the next day that he saw that as part of his role as a team captain.
Washington took no issue with Roethlisberger’s approach and Brown said Friday that he’s good with it as well. Roethlisberger said Brown needed to run his route differently on an interception late in the loss to the Broncos and Brown said Roethlisberger’s “method to his madness will only help us get better.”
“I’ve got big shoulders. I can take it,” Brown told the media from his locker room Friday. “Constructive criticism is only for you to get better. It’s not personal. ... It’s only to inspire the group, encourage the group to be better. That’s the type of guy he is. I don’t know if it’s been misconstrued or changed in regards to how you guys put it out there, but he means well.”
Roethlisberger was critical of Brown for a sideline tirade last season that involved him throwing a Gatorade cooler and Brown later said he was glad that the quarterback said something, so it’s not the first time the two players have done this dance without any negatives for the on-field relationship.
