Antonio Brown Follows 49ers on Social Media Amid Trade Rumors

The NFL offseason hasn't even started yet but Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is already putting fans on social media watch.

CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora reported Tuesday that Brown requested a trade from the Steelers after having a confrontation with Ben Roethlisberger and missing Pittsburgh's Week 17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

In what almost certainly isn't a coincidence, Brown started following the official San Francisco 49ers Instagram account.

Brown also follows 49ers players Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle and Adrian Colbert on Twitter. He had already fueled speculation about a move to the Bay Area when he responded to a tweet from Kittle.

Of course, there are multiple steps necessary before Brown actually lands in San Francisco.

For one, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday that Brown hasn't formally requested a trade, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler.

Then there's the little matter of Brown's massive contract. According to Over the Cap, he'll count for $22.1 million against the salary cap in 2019. Were Pittsburgh to trade him before June 1, it would save just $1 million and absorb $21.1 million in dead money. Waiting until after June 1 would mean saving $15.1 million but still adding $7 million annually in dead money over the next three years.

If Brown really wants out of Pittsburgh, maybe he should start following NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on social media so he and Goodell can direct message one another about relaxing the league's salary rules.