Jerry Rice isn't going to be happy.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine. Both told reporters that the San Francisco 49ers were not among the teams that reached out to the Pittsburgh Steelers regarding wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Brown has been campaigning on social media to join the 49ers since the end of the 2018 season. He officially requested a trade on February 12. Brown and the Steelers met a week later and agreed to part ways.
The perception is that a lot of baggage could accompany Brown. The receiver might be seen as a risk because Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has said the team would not trade Brown unless the compensation benefits his organization.
RELATED John Lynch discusses Antonio Brown, confirms 49ers have not spoken with the Steelers
Does that mean the 49ers are content with keeping their distance? Steve Wyche of NFL Network believes so. He posted on Thursday morning that, according to sources, San Francisco will not be in play to acquire Brown. At least, that is the case "as of now."
SF @49ers GM John Lynch said they have had no conversations with @steelers about WR Antonio Brown. I have been told by some sources who would know that as of now the Niners won't be in play for Brown.
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) February 28, 2019
The belief was that if the 49ers have an interest in Brown, discussions might heat up in Indianapolis this week. Brown has been linked to San Francisco since New Year's Eve when he exchanged tweets with 49ers tight end George Kittle. He has since followed the Bay Area team and several of its players on social media.
Brown has also campaigned via social media to join Shanahan and the 49ers.
"It's funny the world we live in where one tweet from a player to another turns into interest and all of that," Lynch told reporters on Thursday. "That is the world we live in. I can tell you, like every team in this league, we think the guy is a heck of a football player, but we have not had talks with the Steelers. I can tell you that."