Three teams have reportedly reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers inquiring about wide receiver Antonio Brown, whom the team is open to trading. The San Francisco 49ers are not among those three teams, head coach Kyle Shanahan informed reporters on Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
#49ers Kyle Shanahan says they're not among the three teams that have reached out to Steelers for AB
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) February 27, 2019
Brown started expressing a desire to leave Pittsburgh at the end of last season. He did not play in the Steelers' finale against the Cincinnati Bengals and turned to social media to express his interest in a change of scenery. Brown has heavily hinted that he would like to play for Shanahan and the 49ers.
Brown requested a trade on February 12. The Steelers later met with him and the two parties agreed it would be in each's best interest to part ways. Brown and his representatives, however, were not given permission to facilitate a trade. That means no team can speak with Brown or his agent before initiating a trade and all dealings have to go through Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert.
Just because the 49ers haven't contacted the Steelers about Brown doesn't mean that won't happen. Things could change at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis where all 32 teams will gather this week. Trade discussions are often discussed and can even be agreed upon at the combine. However, nothing can become official until the start of the new league year on March 13.
Pittsburgh made Brown a sixth-round selection out of Central Michigan in 2010. He registered 104 receptions for 1,297 yards with 15 touchdowns through 15 starts with the Steelers in 2018. Brown has caught 837 passes for 11,207 yards with 74 touchdowns through nine NFL seasons. He is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and four-time first-team All-Pro.