On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the jersey numbers for all of their free-agent additions this offseason. This included wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson will wear No. 84 for the Steelers, which happens to be the same number former Steeler Antonio Brown wore during his playing days.
This didn’t sit well with Brown who took to social media to whine about how the Steelers don’t typically formally retire jersey numbers but instead sort of shadow ban any players from wearing them. Brown took exception to this because his number didn’t get the same treatment.
@CtespnN BREAKING NEWS
After thinking it over talking it over with family
I’ll come back and play for Steelers for FREE this season if I can get #86
Since Jersey # don’t matter much should not be a big deal
Help us get 7 rings
This is legit your move @steelers #CTESPN pic.twitter.com/lS76VpsUK9
— AB (@AB84) April 5, 2024
Brown then said he would come back and play for the Steelers for free if the team lets him wear No. 86. This of course is Hines Ward’s old number and hasn’t been assigned to a team since his retirement. He also hit up former Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell to see if he would come back to Pittsburgh if he could wear Jerome Bettis’ old number.
