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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is going to have a very long day.
Late last night, Rapoport caused a stir when he reported that the Buffalo Bills were close to finalizing a trade with the PittsburgH Steelers for superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Sources: The #Steelers are closing in on a deal to send star WR Antonio Brown to the Buffalo #Bills. There it is.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Rapoport went on to double down on his report a few hours later.
From our breaking news segment in the wee hours of Friday morning: The #Bills are working to trade for #Steelers WR Antonio Brown. There are things to work out, but the deal is close to being done. pic.twitter.com/gAEf3q8doQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Unfortunately for Rapoport it appears that the Bills-Antonio Brown trade rumors were way off as ESPN’s Adam Schefter and others reported that the deal “was dead on Wednesday”.
Buffalo has spoken to Pittsburgh about a potential trade for WR Antonio Brown, as have a handful of other teams. Those talks occurred only in recent days. A source this morning called a Brown-to-Buffalo trade “unlikely.” Not out of the question but, at this time, “unlikely.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2019
Another source on a potential Antonio Brown-to-Buffalo trade said it will not happen. “I don't think the Bills trade was ever close to happening,” said one source involved in those talks. Steelers snd Bills briefly talked but “this is an old story. It was dead on Wednesday.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2019
An NFL source says #Bills have inquired about Antonio Brown with the #Steelers, but no deal is imminent. In fact, another league source termed it "unlikely."
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) March 8, 2019
Rapoport went on to claim that the deal had “fallen a part” after intense negotiations.
Update from the #Bills on the Antonio Brown: After intense talks that went into last night, and almost getting there on trade compensation, Buffalo says they are out. The #Steelers now must find another suitor.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019
Ian’s latest report is also being disputed.
A league source reiterated to me this AM that the #Bills and #Steelers were not close to making a trade, and saying it fell apart broke down is based on incorrect info.
— Vic Carucci (@viccarucci) March 8, 2019
The Internet hammered Rapoport on Twitter for being wrong.
— Tom Pierce (@TomPierce58) March 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/shornnno/status/1103990978174771201
Ian Rapoport: pic.twitter.com/4GYVMBH9GT
— Daniel Tran (@1DanTran) March 8, 2019
Adam Schefter making sure he's the clear #1 NFL news breaker while cementing Ian Rapoport is still #2 https://t.co/D96EstoOvW
— Bmac (@bmcsherry94) March 8, 2019
live look at Ian Rapoport during these great NFL insider infowars of 2019 pic.twitter.com/aBPA9G4kVR
— Tathan Eovaldi (@TathanForYou) March 8, 2019