As everybody knows by now, Antonio Brown has signed a new contract with the Steelers, effectively making him a Steeler for life, as well as one of the highest-paid receivers in fooball. Brown’s stats are already some of the greatest in Steelers history and they should only continue to rise with him signed through 2021.

For a fun exercise, I decided to project Antonio Brown’s career stats through 2021 and see where this would place him in the Steelers record book, as well as the NFL record book. These numbers should, obviously, be taken with a grain of salt; as I said, this is for fun, to see where Brown’s career could go.

Production over past 4 seasons 

Year	Yards	Catches	TDs
2016	1284	106	8
2015	1834	136	13
2014	1698	129	10
2013	1499	110	12
Average	1,578	120	11

I felt the best measure to project his numbers would be to take his numbers over the past 4 years – his best years with the Steelers.

Again, it is important to take these numbers with a grain of salt – while it would be amazing, Brown likely won’t average over 1,500 yards per season. Regression of some extent is inevitable, because he has had the best four year stretch of any receiver in NFL history. 

However, Brown is still in his prime and has unworldly work ethic, so anything is possible!

If you multiple his career average numbers over the past 4 seasons, by his remaining 5 years in his contract you get: 7,890 yards, 600 catches, 870 targets, 55 touchdowns.  Now let’s add these numbers to his current career numbers.

Current career totals

Yards	Catches	Touchdowns
8,377	632	50

Brown’s numbers so far in his career are certainly respectable. He currently ranks 3rd in receiving yards, 2nd in receptions, and 4th in touchdowns. Even if he retired after this season, these are historic numbers.

Luckily for us, Brown is still going strong!

Now let’s see what Browns projected career totals will be with his projected 5-year numbers added on to his current numbers.

Projected career totals

Yards	Catches	Touchdowns
16,267	1,232	105

By age 34, Antonio Brown could have huge numbers. Few wide receivers in NFL history have touched numbers of this magnitude.

Just let these totals sink in: 16,267 yards, 1,232 catches, 105 touchdowns.

Where would this place Brown in the Steelers record book?

How would that stack up all-time for the franchise? As you guessed, it looks pretty good.

Name	Yards	Catches	Touchdowns
1) Antonio Brown	16,267	1,232	105
2) Hines Wards	12,083	1,000	85

Brown would crush Hines Ward’s career numbers in every category if the projections were to pan out.

Brown would break Ward‘s yards record after 3 seasons, his receptions record after 4 seasons, and break his touchdown record after 4 seasons. This would also effectively make Antonio Brown the greatest wide receiver in Steelers history… and by a large margin.

Now let’s continue the trend, and see where these projected numbers would place Brown in the NFL record books.

Where would this place Brown in the NFL record books?

Yards

Name	Years	Yards
1) Jerry Rice	1985-2004	22,895
2) Antonio Brown	2010-2021	16,267

Catches

Name	Years	Catches
1) Jerry Rice	1985-2004	1,549
2) Tony Gonzalez	1997-2013	1,325
3) Antonio Brown	2010-2021	1,232

Touchdowns

Name	Years	Touchdowns
1) Jerry Rice	1985-2004	197
2) Randy Moss	1998-2012	156
3) Terrell Owens	1996-2010	153
4) Cris Carter	1987-2002	130
5) Marvin Harrison	1996-2008	128
6) Tony Gonzalez	1997-2013	111
6) Antonio Gates	2003-2016	111
7) Antonio Brown	2010-2012	105

If Antonio Brown were to reach these projected numbers, he would go down as one of the greatest receivers in NFL history. Brown would be projected to be 2nd in total yards, 3rd in receptions, and 7th in touchdowns.

Conclusion

Brown would be in great company with these numbers, and be an easy Hall-of-Fame candidate. It might be wishful thinking that Brown will go down in history as one of the top wide receivers in the league, but from what we’ve seen on, and off, of the field, anything is possible.

He didn’t go from being a sixth round draft pick to potential all-time great by being lazy. His work ethic is so strong that even on the night Brown signed his new contract, he was seen in the weight room later that evening.

Brown has also gotten the job done with different quarterbacks. We’ve seen AB produce with both Ben Roethlisberger and Landry Jones throwing to him. Even if Brown’s career extends beyond Ben’s, there is no reason to believe Brown won’t continue to produce.

Again, this is all for fun, and done as speculation, but like the rest of Steelers Nation, I can’t wait to see where Brown’s career goes.