Ever ask yourself that question? Ever ask anyone else that question?

Was the response something that looked like an owl staring back at you, with it’s head half-cocked?

That’s the way I feel every time I read another “trade Antonio Brown” article on the Internet. Like, what are these people thinking?

I know what they think they’re thinking. They think Antonio Brown has a year left on his contract, and wants a big money contract. They think, he’s turning 29 in July. They think he’s a distraction.

That’s where the record screeches to a halt.

I can sympathize with some speculation about the Steelers maybe, maybe not wanting to shell out a ton of money for a wide receiver ready to hit the twilight of his career. We’ve seen it before: the Steelers part ways, instead of paying, some big name receivers such as Plaxico Burress, Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders. We’ve seen Pittsburgh cut ties with franchise greats, rather than open their checkbook, like Alan Faneca.

I can understand that line of logic.

But AB as a distraction? It’s a stretch.

Let’s discuss. A locker room live streaming video equates to a team distraction. That can be argued for or against.

Was it that big of a deal in the end?

Not as much as others made it out to be.

Then there are the catcalls over Brown demanding the ball be thrown his way, and the so-called temper tantrums that I must’ve missed, because I didn’t see Antonio acting like Michael Irvin, Terrell Owens or Randy Moss out on the football field. Those guys all played the same position, and played with passion, but their behavior is nothing like that of “Ronald Ocean”.

In fact, and I’ve said this before, the only thing Antonio Brown is guilty of is having fun.

The locker room video? Harmless intentions, and done for fun.

Touchdown celebrations? In the moment… fun.

What else has Antonio done? He supposedly pouted when DeAngelo Williams scored (and not himself) in the AFC Championship game; anyone who re-watched the film, noticed that wasn’t the case.

Others rumored AB went “off script” running his own routes: something he actually has the freedom to do, much like Ben Roethlisberger checking out of plays. If you’ve ever cheered for an extended connection from Big Ben to his fellow Killer B, then you can’t criticize the times Antonio Brown has improvised. In fact, the Steelers have likely benefited more from improv backyard-style big plays than not.

So… you have a streaming video, some celebrations that were inconsistently flagged and fined by the league office (as others, including the aforementioned Sanders, got away with) and some rumor mongering over other stuff that didn’t happen. The logical thing to do is… trade AB???

Right.

Let’s talk about the things AB hasn’t done. He hasn’t gotten in fights in nightclubs, been caught doing drugs or possessing a weapon. We haven’t heard so much as a peep over a traffic violation, or jay walking.

In other words, the guy is a model citizen, a role model our kids can actually root for.

Either he’s really good at hiding all of the “bad” stuff he does off of the field, or it just doesn’t happen. The only things we do see off-field from AB are Pepsi commercials and Dancing With The Stars.

You know: fun stuff.

Back to the title question: why would you want to trade Antonio Brown?

Is it because you think he’s a distraction? He’s not even the most distracting player on the team! Le’Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant are for more distracting, with game suspensions and off-field antics. (Not that the latter is much of a distraction either!)

Heck, Sports Illustrated voted Ben as the most polarizing player in the NFL. Apparently Roethlisberger must be the biggest distraction, right?

Let’s trade them all then! But what would Pittsburgh get in return? A high draft pick that might not pan out to be a player half as good? Maybe a dynamic player like Sammie Watkins could come in, but then good luck with having them stay healthy. (The Bills’ receiver has missed 11 games in the last two seasons.)

I suppose my point in writing this column, is to tell everyone to settle down. I understand the overreaction to losing the AFC Championship game is sticking in some fans’ craw, and much has been read into Mike Tomlin’s remarks about the locker room video; but trading an all-world talent, and a player poised to set every franchise mark at his position, is not a solution toward attempting to win a Super Bowl.

It’s a counterproductive idea that harms the team both on, and off, of the field, and should be disregarded every time it’s mentioned.