Antonio Brown made his first real comments on Twitter today since reports came out suggesting that he was considering holding out for a new contract. Brown took to Twitter today to tell his fans that he’s spending time with his newborn baby. Brown says he’s a dad first, and that he can’t wait to reunite with his teammates.

https://twitter.com/AntonioBrown84/status/590913398549905408

https://twitter.com/AntonioBrown84/status/590914953403572227

If you were to look at his Twitter mentions over the past couple of days, you’d probably be surprised at how many people took the rumors of his contract woes personally. Brown doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, but this should help tamper some of the anger many Steelers fans seem to be feeling. Spending time with your newborn baby is a pretty good reason to miss voluntary workouts.

Many players don’t attend voluntary workouts anyway, so there really isn’t anything to even talk about at this point. The team can’t act until a player misses mandatory mini-camp, and I’d imagine Brown will be in attendance. With 3 years left on his contract, he surely must know that the odds of the team doing anything with his contract this year aren’t in his favor.

Antonio Brown posted a very short, but seemingly purposeful message on his Twitter account tonight.

https://twitter.com/AntonioBrown84/status/590654674245672960

A couple weeks ago this tweet would have been practically meaningless. Since it’s the first we’ve heard from AB since rumors started circulating that he was considering holding out to get more money, it’s hard to ignore the obvious.

Brown has 3 years remaining on his contract. He has certainly performed like a top wide receiver, but he isn’t really getting paid like it. Right now his absence from voluntary workouts means nothing. He, like many other NFL players, is off training on his own.

While recent reports have indicated that he’s considering holding out through mini-camp and into training camp, I have little doubt that he’ll be at training camp this summer. The team, if they so choose, can fine Brown $70,000 if he does decide not to attend mini-camp.

According to multiple media outlets, Antonio Brown wants a new deal, and is considering holding out from mini-camp and training camp if he doesn’t get one.

https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/590164352621092864

Antonio Brown is one of the best, if not the best wide receiver in the NFL. He signed a 6 year, $41.7 Mil contract extension in 2012 when Mike Wallace played the hold out game. Since then, he’s grown into one of the most productive receivers in the league. AB was the league leader last year with 29 receptions and amassed 1,698 yards- both of which were team records.

As productive as Brown is, his APY is pretty low compared to his peers. He averages roughly $8.3 Mil/year- the 14th highest among NFL receivers. The Steelers have restructured Brown’s contract twice already. His remaining cap hits are $9,787,500, $12,037,500, and $10,797,500 respectively.

Production aside, Brown’s camp is probably going to be in for disappointment if he were to hold out this summer. With 3 years left on his contract, the chances of him benefiting from holding out are slim. Personally, I’m skeptical of the validity of these reports.

Brown is not participating in the voluntary workouts that began today.