Raiders' Jon Gruden 'Loves' Antonio Brown, Reminds Him of a Dog Chasing a Ball

Antonio Brown does not appear to be in any danger of wearing out his welcome with Jon Gruden soon.

"I just love guys like that. He’s like … he just wants it," Gruden told Peter King of NBC Sports. "Reminds me of, you throw a dog the ball, he just goes and gets it. He keeps going, and going, and going, and going. He just won’t stop. Antonio’s energy is contagious."

The Raiders traded a third- and fifth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Brown in March. Brown had requested a trade from Pittsburgh after a falling out with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, coach Mike Tomlin and upper management. The Raiders also rewarded Brown with a new three-year, $50.1 million contract.

Gruden spoke to King about the process of making the trade:

"Getting him here was interesting. I remember my wife and I in a car in Las Vegas, early March. Mark Davis had me and Mike [Mayock] go there for a fund-raising event. Mike’s wife Mandy came and my wife Cindy came. And we’re driving around, and I get a call from [Pittsburgh VP and cap guy] Omar Khan. He’s like, ‘Hey what about a second-round pick for Antonio Brown?’ Free-agency’s about to start and I’m thinking, ‘Man, all these slot receivers are going for $10 million. Some of these players are going for $15 million. Why don’t we just give him the second? Get Antonio Brown!’ I call Mike and I said, ‘Why don’t we just give the Steelers the second and get this guy?’ Mike says, ‘That’s a little rich still. Let me talk to [Steelers GM] Kevin Colbert.’ Now he talks to Kevin Colbert and he says, ‘I think we can get him for a three and a five.’ I said, ‘Get the hell outta here!’"

Brown was in the news again last week after tweeting "two face" after Ben Roethlisberger apologized for calling out the Pro Bowl wideout last season. 

"I'll start with saying you're right, AB made me who I am," Roethlisberger told KDKA. "He was the greatest wide receiver I ever played with. The things that he did in this league and that we did together are among the best of all time.

"And you're right, there was some great things and then all of a sudden it just kind of, it disappeared, and I’m not sure really where it went. We always worked through it, you know? We always came out the other side smiling and hugged it out and enjoyed it and moved on, and this time, I really don't know."

The Raiders don't seem to be having any such issues with Brown, whose work ethic on the field has never been a question. Provided he keeps racking up elite stats, odds are Gruden is going to keep loving having him on his roster. 

Even if some in Pittsburgh don't have the same feeling.