There are a lot of negative things you can say about former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, especially since he left Pittsburgh, but there is no denying that he was arguably the best player at his position during his prime.
Part of the reason Brown reached that status was because of the work he put in, which included catching countless balls off the JUGS machine at practice.
If there's one thing young receivers should emulate from Brown, it's his work ethic and approach to getting better, something Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson is currently doing.
After practice on Saturday, Jefferson revealed that he is catching a ton of balls off the JUGS machine, something he admits he is borrowing from Brown.
“I think (Brown is) one of the best to ever play in the NFL,” Jefferson said, per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly. “So shoot, why not follow him and what he did.”
New Steelers WR Van Jefferson said he heard @AB84 used to catch 300 passes a day off the jugs machine so he’s adopted the habit in camp.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) July 27, 2024
“I think (AB is) one of the best to ever play in the NFL,” Jefferson said. “So shoot why not follow him and what he did.”
After an impressive sophomore campaign in 2021 that saw him break 800 yards and score six touchdowns, Jefferson hasn't seen anywhere near the same success, as he's failed to break 600 yards combined since 2022.
But he has a chance to revive his career in Pittsburgh with the Steelers having a big role up for grabs in the wide receivers room. By all accounts, Jefferson has been solid so far in camp and is putting himself in position to be one of the team's top-three receivers this coming season.
