Steelers HC Mike Tomlin gives his verdict on possibility of Antonio Brown rejoining franchise

Mike Tomlin and Antonio Brown spent many years working together in Pittsburgh. With the wide receiver still available on the market, some are speculating that a reunion could be on the cards. However, the team's head coach forcibly shot the idea down.

According to The Pivot via Bleacher Report, the head coach scoffed at the idea and hinted that he saw the question as absurd. His response was short:

"Y'all know that ain't happening."

Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive overhaul ft. Antonio Brown

Pittsburgh Steelers v Jacksonville Jaguars

Tomlin has overseen a massive shift in offensive personnel in recent years. At one point, he had Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell under his charge. Today, none of the "Killer B's" are still around.

Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021-22 season. Antonio Brown left the team after the 2018 season. Le'Veon Bell skipped the 2018 season due to a contract dispute and left for the Jets in 2019.

In their place came Juju Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool, and James Conner. Juju Smith-Schuster stuck with the team for five seasons before joining the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. James Conner played four years from 2017-2020 before going to the Arizona Cardinals. Of the three, all that remains is Chase Claypool.

At quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger is gone and has been replaced by a combination of rookie Kenny Pickett and veteran Mitchell Trubisky. Pickett was selected in the first round of this year's NFL Draft, while Trubisky played four years with the Chicago Bears. After leaving Chicago, he became a backup for the Buffalo Bills before moving to Pittsburgh to battle for the Steelers starting job.

Heading into the 2022-23 season, the Steelers have second-year running back Najee Harris making a return as well. Put simply, Harris, Claypool, Trubisky and Pickett have replaced Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le'Veon Bell. However, it wasn't a clean change of guard as several pieces came and went between the "Killer B's" and today's depth chart.

Many are expecting the changes to continue as the Steelers undergo a rebuilding phase. The 2022 season will certainly provide insight into whether all of the pieces click. With Pickett and Trubisky running the offense, Tomlin will have to develop an impressive game plan if they are to overcome division rivals like the Bengals and Ravens.