PITTSBURGH -- Antonio Brown's lapse in judgment in the locker room Sunday night undermined Mike Tomlin the minute the coach's postgame message came through Brown's Facebook Live feed.

And to think Brown rarely drops the ball.

Brown's live streaming was not malicious in the slightest. He's well respected in the locker room and offsets his colorful antics with a fierce work ethic. He's tight with Tomlin. Let's assume he didn't consider the implications while vibing on his phone for 17 minutes.

Still, the lack of self-awareness is stunning. And for a head coach who gets a healthy dose of vitriol from Pittsburgh fans after every loss, Tomlin's profanity-laced message to the team is one more thing for detractors to dissect.

Tomlin has every right to be fired up about this. He'll likely take a measured approach to the issue at his Tuesday media conference.

A one-on-one with Brown could be more blunt.

"Coach Tomlin's the boss. I'm sure he's going to say something to AB about it," safety Mike Mitchell told ESPN's NFL Live on Monday. "I'm sure he'll address us as a team per usual any time an issue comes up."

Mitchell isn't concerned with the issue affecting the team, adding, "It's the AFC championship. We're not getting distracted by anything like that."

The incident probably won't affect the game. The Patriots and Steelers don't need the proverbial bulletin board material to elevate their play. The storyline will dissipate by the weekend. Patriots players must know Tomlin's words were benign.

But clearly Brown owes Tomlin a solid. Ten catches and a touchdown would suffice. And Brown has had success against New England with 94.3 receiving yards per game over a four-game stretch.

As ESPN's Adam Schefter pointed out, the league could fine Brown for violating a social media policy that prohibits messages from 90 minutes before a game through postgame interviews. Any fine would be considered minor.

In broader scope, Brown's high-wattage personality doesn't have a snooze button. The flair off the field matches his production on it. He's cultivated a brand that might resonate with fans more than any other Steeler.

Sunday night, the branding backfired.

Still, teammates don't view Brown as a problem.

"He's Antonio Brown. He's the celebrity on the team," safety Robert Golden said. "He's the 'Dancing With The Stars' guy. He's an entertainer. He entertains us and we enjoy it."

The incident gave Patriots players the chance to respond, with wide receiver Julian Edelman telling WEEI about Tomlin's comments: "That's how that team is run."

The condescension might just rally the Steelers, similar to Terry Bradshaw's "cheerleader guy" comments regarding Tomlin that fired up the locker room.

As if the locker room needs more heat.