Steelers' Viral Incident With Antonio Brown and Gatorade Cooler Explained

Former OC Todd Haley breaks down the play that led to Brown's outburst on the sideline.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 2:23pm

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An abstract, energetic painting using vibrant neon colors and rapid brushstrokes to depict the chaotic scene of Antonio Brown throwing a Gatorade cooler on the sideline of an NFL game, conveying the raw emotion and volatility of the incident.An explosive expressionist painting captures the raw emotion and volatility of Antonio Brown's infamous sideline outburst as a Pittsburgh Steeler.Today in Pittsburgh

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley recently recounted the play that led to a viral incident involving wide receiver Antonio Brown and a Gatorade cooler on the sideline. Haley explained how a missed touchdown opportunity by Brown due to a defensive deception by Ravens safety Eric Weddle sparked Brown's outburst, where he wanted to fight both Haley and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Why it matters

The incident highlighted Brown's volatile behavior during his time with the Steelers, which ultimately led to his departure from the team after the 2018 season. Haley's explanation provides more context around one of the many memorable moments involving the talented but troubled receiver.

The details

Haley said the play occurred on a third down, where Brown was wide open for what should have been an easy touchdown. However, Weddle's pre-snap trickery fooled Roethlisberger, causing him to throw a short 6-yard pass instead of finding the open Brown. This infuriated Brown, who started throwing Gatorade coolers and wanted to fight both Haley and Roethlisberger on the sideline.

  • The incident occurred during the 2017 NFL season.

The players

Antonio Brown

A former star wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was known for his elite talent but also his volatile behavior and off-field issues.

Todd Haley

The former offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers who recounted the details of the incident involving Antonio Brown.

Ben Roethlisberger

The longtime quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers who was the target of Antonio Brown's anger after missing him for what should have been an easy touchdown.

Eric Weddle

The former Baltimore Ravens safety who used a pre-snap defensive deception to fool Roethlisberger and prevent Brown from scoring a touchdown, sparking Brown's outburst.

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What they’re saying

“Eric Weddle, who's a really smart player wherever he was, he kind of tricked Ben [Roethlisberger] a little bit pre-snap. So [Antonio Brown] runs this route; I call it. There's not anybody within 50 yards of him, but Ben got fooled by the coverage because of what Weddle did, so he just stayed frontside and threw a throw-and-catch for six yards. AB is standing by himself. I mean, it's going to be a 60-yard touchdown. I'm jumping up and down on the sideline when I saw the look, I'm so excited.”

— Todd Haley, Former Offensive Coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers

“AB, Gatorade coolers being thrown, I'm trying to calm him down, he wants to fight me, he wants to fight Ben, and I'm like, 'The play was for you, AB. Why are you mad at me?' It's probably the most open I've seen a receiver in the NFL, really against a legit team like the Ravens.”

— Todd Haley, Former Offensive Coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers

What’s next

The Steelers would go on to beat the Ravens 26-9 in that game, but the incident highlighted the growing tensions between Brown and the team, which ultimately led to his departure after the 2018 season.

The takeaway

The viral sideline incident between Antonio Brown and the Steelers organization exemplified the talented but troubled receiver's volatile behavior, which ultimately derailed his career in Pittsburgh despite his immense on-field abilities.