Antwaan Randle El confirms what we already know about Amon-Ra St. Brown

Falling to the fourth round of the 2021 draft has given Amon-Ra St. Brown an undeniable chip on his shoulder. It will never go away, no matter what he accomplishes in his career. He epitomizes what the Detroit Lions are about, reflected by his famous post-practice routine of catching 202 passes off the JUGS machine. Not 200, not 205...exactly 202, as a symbol of how he's willing to outwork anyone and everyone.

Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, the Lions were always going to reward St. Brown sometime this offseason. For about 24 hours he was the highest-paid wide receiver in the league with his contract extension, and even if his contract isn't quite what is was first reported to be he's being paid more in line with what he has produced. And what he should continue to produce.

Antwaan Randle El says what we already know about Amon-Ra St. Brown

Lions wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El played nine NFL seasons, seeing a lot of prominent wide receivers in that time. Prior to coming to the Lions' staff under Dan Campbell, his time as assistant coach in Tampa Bay exposed him to Mike Evans. He is now going into his fourth year as St. Brown's position coach.

We know St. Brown doesn't have "diva" in him like some of the best wide receivers do. Getting a big contract will not change him in any way. If anything, it'll make him work even harder.

At OTAs this week, Randle El didn't say anything the world doesn't know about St. Brown now that he has gotten a big contract. But it was nice to hear it be reinforced.

"Cats get complacent and you don’t see it in him,” Randle El said of St. Brown, via Lions Wire. “You haven’t seen it in him yet, and I don’t expect you will. So I think he’s in a good spot (and will) continue to move forward.”
"The challenge that I always speak to him about and guys who sign these big contracts that they disappear in a lot of ways and a lot of times. He’s not one of those guys. He hasn’t changed in terms of his work ethic and how he comes out and prepares, and that’s good to see.”

As far as St. Brown is concerned, there are and will never be any laurels to rest on. A bigger paycheck won't alter his mode, and Randle El has seen it up close already.