First Call: New reports of an off-field Antonio Brown incident, Steelers won't get Jaguars starting QB

Former Steeler Antonio Brown is already back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. A Baltimore Raven is catching some flak from his own fans. Even less reason for Steelers fans to worry about the Jacksonville Jaguars.

And a bus is the reason why coaches of the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders are sniping at each other.

Just read Tuesday’s “First Call.” You’ll figure it out.

Sense a pattern here?

For a wide receiver, former Steeler Antonio Brown sure likes to throw lots of things instead of catching them.

He’s reportedly thrown furniture. Rocks. X-rated gummy candy. Gatorade buckets. And now … a bike?

That’s the allegation printed in the Miami Herald regarding Mr. Big Chest’s latest temper tantrum.

Court reporter David Ovalle reports that the recently signed Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass catcher “was accused last month of angrily destroying a surveillance camera at the gated community in Hollywood where he lives and throwing his bicycle at a security-guard shack, according to a police report obtained by the Herald.

“Hollywood police determined there was probable cause to charge Brown with misdemeanor criminal mischief for the Oct. 15 incident, the report said. But the homeowners association president declined to press charges, according to the report, saying she feared Brown ‘may retaliate against her employees.’”

Gee, how could she possibly get that idea?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released a statement reading, “We are aware of the reported incident involving Antonio Brown prior to his signing. When Antonio joined us, we were clear about what we expected and required of him. Thus far, he has met all the expectations we have in place.”

Note “prior to signing him” there. I am surprised they didn’t put that in bold print or italics.

Later in the Herald story, the HOA president — Sylvia Berman — said the housing board thought the incident was too minor to press charges and Brown had agreed to replace the broken camera.

Apparently, the disagreement was about allowing guests through the security gate. So, by “Himothy’s” standards, throwing the bike at the guard shack is right on brand.

Smashing the camera, though, is not. That’s got to be the first camera Brown didn’t like.

No-go for Gardner

The Steelers won’t be facing Jaguars starting quarterback Gardner Minshew Sunday. His injured thumb isn’t healed enough to suit up.

“He’s feeling a little bit better, not fully 100 percent,” said Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone Monday. “During practice he’ll throw. [We will] see how he feels for the first time. [We’ll] see how it is after that and then we’ll take it from there, but he won’t be ready.”

That means Jake Luton will probably start at QB for a third straight game. The Jags lost his previous two starts against the Houston Texans in Week 9 and against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. He’s gone 44 of 73 (60.3%) for 473 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He posted a rushing touchdown against the Texans as well.

If I’m Doug Marrone — and facing a 1-8 record, I’m glad I’m not — I start Mike Glennon. Why not?! The guy upset heavily favored Steelers teams in 2014 with Tampa and 2017 with the Chicago Bears.

Rivalry revved up

The Raiders and Chiefs have long been AFC West rivals.

Add a new chapter.

The Raiders apparently requested a victory lap around Arrowhead Stadium en route to the airport on their team buses after the team’s 40-32 win in Kansas City earlier this season.

The gesture didn’t sit well with Chiefs coach Andy Reid.

“They won the game, so they can do anything they want to do,” the Chiefs coach said Monday. “That’s not our style.”

According to ESPN.com, Reid brought the bus situation back up later in his Zoom press conference. He was asked “whether it was more difficult for a team to play an opponent for the second time when it won the first game between the teams. Reid said no, then added, ‘I think they [do] or they wouldn’t have driven the bus around the stadium.’ ”

Touche!

Raiders coach Jon Gruden was less than subtle in his retort.

Gruden’s response pic.twitter.com/Qak2yjFojV

— Nick Jacobs (@Jacobs71) November 16, 2020

“You could find a smart-aleck bus driver in Kansas City who made some snide comments when we got on the bus. Maybe that’s why we drove around the stadium — just to tick him off,” Gruden said in response.

So Chucky and the Raiders were mad at a different bus driver, so they made their postgame bus driver take a victory lap around the stadium?

Wow! And you thought Steelers-Ravens could get petty, huh?

Mad Matt

Baltimore Ravens fans aren’t happy with center Matt Skura.

And he’s not happy with them. After some bad snaps to quarterback Lamar Jackson on a rain-soaked field in New England, Skura took heat from the fan base.

Some of the hate-tweets he received may have stepped over the line. So he responded on Instagram.

“I want to take ownership and apologize for my mistakes in last night’s game,” Skura posted. “I always strive and work to be the best I can be in any and all situations. I appreciate those who have sent encouraging messages to me since the game. However, please know my family is off limits when it comes to hateful and threatening messages. They do not deserve to be scrutinized for something they did not do. I want to move on from this and grow so that I’m able to be at my best for the rest of the season. Now it’s on to the Titans.”

The Ravens ended up losing 23-17, their lowest point total in 32 games.