The Steelers are trying to shut down the circus.

To do so, they will have to get rid of the ringleader, the class clown, if you will.

Despite how good he’s been on the field, it’s time for Antonio Brown to leave town.

The Steelers’ diva wide receiver has put up numbers unprecedented in club history. Even in today’s pass-happy NFL, his statistics are eye-popping.

Over the past six seasons, Browns’ worst numbers are 101 catches in 2017, eight touchdown catches in 2013 and 1,284 receiving yards in 2016. He averaged 110 catches for 1,541 yards and 11 TDs in the past six years.

Brown does not turn 31 until July and remains in excellent physical condition.

The fact that second-year receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster also put up incredible numbers — 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018— means the Steelers should have a game-changing receiver duo for the next three or four years, at least.

But that’s the problem.

Brown can’t handle that. His ego won’t let him.

The fact that his disappearance from the Steelers coincided with the time the club announced Smith-Schuster as its team MVP can’t be pure coincidence.

Instead of being happy for a teammate and perhaps praising his contributions and emergence as a stellar receiver in the league, Brown chose to pout.

Yes, much of Smith-Schuster’s success may be attributed to Brown lining up on the other side of the formation. So what?

Other Steeler receivers in recent years had that same advantage and didn’t put up numbers like Smith-Schuster did.

Brown basically didn’t show up for work, then didn’t return phone calls and text messages from his bosses. He bailed on his teammates days before a must-win.

Inexcusable — and irreparable.

The fact the Steelers never formally suspended Brown for that final game, meaning he will likely receive a game check, is downright laughable — though his teammates probably aren’t finding it so funny.

Send the guy packing. If he quit on the team and the organization once, he could always do it again.

While other teams across the league anticipate the Steelers’ wishes to move Brown, the price tag in a trade will still be high.

It should be — and some other team will be ready to ante up to get arguably one of the top three receivers in the game.

Oakland has five first-round draft picks over the next two years. Miami needs a No. 1 receiver. So do the New York Jets, who have high draft picks and tons of cap space.

The suitors are out there.

The Steelers will have a window of a few days in March, before the draft, to engineer a trade. They could also move Brown as part of a trade the day the draft begins.

Either he goes or the circus stays.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle