PrevNext                        By: WILL GRAVES (AP)PITTSBURGHCopyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.40.4406-79.9959
Heyward-Bey checked the time and shook his head,Cheap NFL Jerseys.
In other systems with other franchises, that might have never happened.
Not that Brown wants to talk about it. If anything, he's become more selective with his words as his star has risen. He began his career sharing a corner of the locker room with fellow receivers Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders (the self-described "Young Money Family) only to migrate to one adjoining the equipment room, better for a quick escape on the days he doesn't feel like chatting. When pressed on the details of his training regimen,NFL Jerseys Outlet, Brown offers only vague generalities.
"(He) was kind of bound and determined to not just be the small guy who wasn't your typical wide receiver," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "I think that always pushed him, small school,wholesale nfl jerseys, multiple colleges, maybe people not always believing in him, just fueled his fire."
One that is singeing opponents at a historic rate. Brown and Wes Welker are the only players with three consecutive seasons of 110 or more receptions. When Brown lit up Denver's No Fly Zone for 16 catches last week, he became the first receiver to put up two games of at least 15 grabs in the same year. His 4,783 yards (and counting) since the start of 2013 is the third-most productive three-year stretch ever, trailing only Jerry Rice and Calvin Johnson.
While it's easy to get caught up in Brown's showmanship — do a quick search for "Antonio Brown celebration" for a refresher on everything from the front flip into the end zone against Oakland in November to the goalpost splat against Indianapolis three weeks ago — it obscures the larger point: all that glitz comes with a heavy dash of grit.
He prefers not to talk about his rise from draft afterthought to perennial Pro Bowler, repeatedly stressing he is "singularly focused" on beating whatever team the Steelers happen to face that week and flashing a smile that indicates prying any further is pointless. It's as if he's protecting some sort of secret formula, even from the guys he lines up alongside.
An ethos that isn't relegated to Sundays. Brown long ago started wearing his game pants during organized team activities. During training camp, he started running additional sprints with the defense even after the offense's five-minutes of oxygen-sapping dashes were done. Soon, running back Le'Veon Bell and the rest of the skill players were joining in. Brown treats every snap of every practice like it's overtime in the Super Bowl whether the ball is coming to him or not, an example that has trickled down through a group that includes Heyward-Bey, rising star Martavis Bryant and protege Markus Wheaton.

"He's all about his business," Heyward-Bey said. "It's like he turns on a switch. It's time to play ball."
"It was almost 10 o'clock," Heyward-Bey said with a laugh. "I said, 'You go ahead. I'm going to go home and sleep.'"
FILE - In this file photo from Dec. 20, 2015, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) waves to fans after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, in Pittsburgh. Forget the meme-generating touchdown celebrations, the real story of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is told in the quieter moments, the ones where one of the hardest working players in the NFL drives himself to potential greatness. (AP Photo/Don Wright, File)
Brown's urgency combined with the ingenuity of offensive coordinator Todd Haley and the open-mindedness of head coach Mike Tomlin have created a system that has made Brown nearly unguardable. The Broncos came to Heinz Field last week with the NFL's best pass defense and Brown finished with 189 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner between two defenders late in the fourth quarter. Most of the production came after Haley started experimenting and lining Brown up in unfamiliar places to give the Broncos a different look.
"I'm looking at this 5-10 guy. Yeah,Cheap Jerseys From China, he's fast, (but) he didn't fit that prototypical big-dog receiver," Haley said. "I learned pretty quickly not to place a ceiling on AB because he's going to shatter it."
NOTES: S Mike Mitchell (shoulder) returned to practice after sitting out Wednesday. ... TE Matt Spaeth (knee) did not practice.
PITTSBU