Steelers WR Antonio Brown has a "big-time marketing deal with Facebook," a deal that comes to light a week after Brown drew flack from his team for streaming from the locker room on Facebook Live, according to sources cited by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Sources said that the deal with Facebook could be netting Brown somewhere in the "high six-figures." Brown, in posting the video, "broke the NFL's social media policy for posting content before reporters had completed their postgame duties." The league "will look at how the Steelers punish Brown, and if the team fines him, don't expect the NFL to issue another fine" (NFL.com, 1/22). FOXSPORTS.com's Cameron DaSilva wrote the disclosure of the deal "brings into question why Brown would be allowed to have such a deal with Facebook when it's a clear violation of the league's social media policy, which prohibits players from posting after the game until postgame press conferences are finished" (FOXSPORTS.com, 1/22). CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora on Twitter wrote the Steelers "learned Antonio Brown had been using social media in locker room more than once," but that is "no longer a concern" after coach Mike Tomlin intervened. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette: "Brown left Steelers lockerroom, declining to talk. Maybe he felt he said enough in lockerroom a week earlier." Fox Sports' Jason Whitlock: "Anybody got a link to Antonio Brown's Facebook feed? Should be interesting" (TWITTER.com, 1/22).
EDIT FUNCTION: In Boston, Nora Princiotti noted Patriots President Jonathan Kraft "supports using social media to show fans certain moments from inside the locker room, as long as the content can be edited." Kraft: "All teams do do it and NFL Films does it but it’s edited. ... And it should be edited. ... We’re doing it and with the right types of editorial control and there are just some things that should stay within the locker room" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 1/22). In Toronto, Raju Mudhar wrote Brown's contrition for the video was "more about the team trying to control their players’ behaviour than it was about the technology, which we’re only going to see more athletes use." Mudhar: "It’s hard for a fan to be mad at Brown. He gave the kind of behind-the-scenes access we all want." However, Mudhar felt the 17-minute video was "too long" (THESTAR.com, 1/22).
