"Do what you have to do then and so will I" - A.J. Brown sets off alarms bells in Tennessee with tweet hinting at trouble ahead
Trouble could be brewing between wide receiver A.J. Brown and the Tennessee Titans. The 24-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is slated to earn just $3.896 million in base salary for the 2022 season.
This means that the star wideout will be seriously underpaid. According to a report from ESPN, Brown will not attend any preseason workouts until a new deal is reached.
While this is common practice for many NFL players who are seeking new deals, the news has not gone over well with some. The 24-year-old took to Twitter to give his side of the story and it sent an ominous warning to the Titans.
Brown wrote:
"I’m a diva and a bad teammate all of sudden, lol ok. Do what you have to do then and so will I."
I’m a diva and a bad teammate all of sudden, lol ok. Do what you have to do then and so will I
Players often hold out to secure a new contract, so this isn't exactly something new. Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys did as such before agreeing to terms. But why do players do it?
Given the nature of the league, a player's career can be short-lived, hence the reason to get a contract sorted quickly. In Brown's case, if he chooses to participate in offseason workouts and suffers a severe injury, then the amount he could earn from a new contract would dramatically drop.
So getting a new deal before even setting foot on a practice field is a smart move on the part of NFL players as they look to protect their futures.
Brown a key weapon for the Titans
The receiver has been a standout since coming into the league in 2019. His first two seasons saw him surpass the 1,000 yard receiving mark.
He missed a few games last year through injury and finished with 869 yards from 13 games. Had he played a full season, it would have had three consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards.
To put Brown's importance to the Titans offense into perspective last season, despite missing games, he led the team with 63 receptions. The next best was Nick Westbrook-Ikhine with 38. The receiver was second in receiving yards as well, with 476 for the year.
It is paramount that the Titans extend the 24-year-old's stay in Tennessee as much of the offense revolves around him. Ideally, a new contract would get done before mandatory training camp. Titans fans everywhere are hoping a deal gets done and quickly.