Brown says Big Ben's ownership mentality was final straw with Steelers

Antonio Brown isn't done talking about Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

During an appearance on HBO's "The Shop" on Friday, the receiver reiterated that Big Ben has an "owner mentality," and said the quarterback's enlarged ego was the final straw during his tenure in Pittsburgh.

"All year dude called me out," said Brown. "We'd lose a game and he'd be like, 'AB should have ran a better route.' That's the type of guy he is. He feels like he's the owner. Bro, you threw that s--- to the D-line, how the f--- am I running a bad route? You need to give me a better ball."

Brown says he was directed to keep quiet about his issues with Roethlisberger.

"But it's like in the league, you're going to have a guy from the team that'll be like, 'Boy, you can't say nothing. I need you to get there like ... ' But it's like why I got to be acting?"

The 30-year-old added that there was a disconnect between himself and Roethlisberger.

"I don't have an ego," he said. "I'm just trying to win."

Brown also discussed his absences during practices leading up to a crucial Week 17 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, a game in which he was benched.

"I'm a little banged up," Brown said. "So I meet with coach Tomlin and I'm telling him, 'Hey man I'm banged up so I'm gonna need a little time to get right,' and he was like, 'If you're banged up, you can just go home,' like you ain't even gotta be here, so I'm like 'Damn, that's where we're at?'

"I'm going to war for these guys, putting my life on the line but it's an unknown when it comes to me just like right now with the write-ups. They control the narrative. We ain't standing on good foundation, and they can just paint you any kind of way. That's the thing people don't know, it's kind of a controlled environment to where they can kind of determine if they want to let me eat or not."

The seven-time Pro Bowler is on the trading block, and the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Washington Redskins are reportedly expressing the most interest.

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