Lucas Rapeepat | Head Editor
January 30, 2022
With his fourth team in five seasons, Antonio Brown, one of the most confusing and controversial players in the NFL, once again threw away his opportunity against the Jets on January 2, two weeks removed from the end of the season and playoffs. While his Buccaneers were down against the lowly Jets, Brown removed his gear and walked off the field, shirtless, while trying to hype up fans at MetLife Stadium in New York as he left for the locker room.
“It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in a football game,” senior Tyler Duncan said. “He was mad on the sidelines, then ran off and threw something into the crowd before basically ending his NFL career.”
Naturally, Brown was no longer part of the team, as Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians made clear. This is not the first incident in Brown’s lengthy history of giving coaches, managers, and fanbases headaches. On track to become one of the greatest receivers in league history, his career was derailed by disputes between him and other players, staff members, and coaches, as well as constant legal troubles. Many attribute his erratic behavior to CTE, a brain condition caused by repeated blows to the head or concussions common in players of contact sports. “Ever since that hit by Vontaze Burfict [2016 playoffs], Antonio Brown hasn’t been the same,” senior Josh Benedict said.
Major issues began in 2018, when Brown, who was the cover athlete of the video game Madden 19, became a starter in the waning days of the season. He was previously benched by coach Mike Tomlin in a must-win final game after rumors of conflict with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and fellow receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Three months later, in February, after a domestic dispute and being found guilty for reckless driving, his tenure with the Steelers would come to a messy end. He met with the team owner, Art Rooney, one last time and agreed that they would part ways.
Traded to the Raiders for a third and fifth-round pick, the deal was originally considered a steal, as the Silver and Black signed him to a three-year, $50 million deal. But Brown showed up to training camp the following season with problems. His feet were mangled by a cryotherapy session gone wrong, and he often sat out due to related struggles. At the same time, the helmet he had used his entire career was banned due to safety concerns. Threatening to retire over the equipment technicality, he complained to the NFL numerous times, filing grievances and staying away from practice.
“I remember that offseason,” Duncan added. “It was just story after story, rumor after rumor, none of them good.” The Raiders front office responded to his absences from mandatory events by fining him tens of thousands of dollars, resulting in a heated confrontation between the receiver and his GM that only stoked the gossip and rumor mill.
Trashing the organization on his Instagram, Brown requested for a release multiple times and was finally granted his wish in September, his guaranteed money voided. The very same day, he was scooped up by the Patriots. But he would only suit up for them one time. After multiple lawsuits of sexual misconduct were filed against him, in addition to leaked messages in which he threatened one of the women, Brown was cut by the Patriots. It had been only thirteen days after his signing.
Legal troubles continued in 2020, with a viral video of a domestic dispute, battery charges, and more scandalous news. In July, the NFL concluded its lengthy investigations, bestowing Brown with an eight-game suspension for whatever team he played for, though his issues with the law had not been settled. In October, the Buccaneers gambled with the diva, most likely due to Tom Brady’s influence, and Brown ended up winning a Super Bowl with them after serving his suspension. During the 2021-2022 season, Brown faced injuries and COVID protocols, and he was busted for carrying a fake vaccine card.
After the incident at the Jets game, Brown actively posted on social media to absolve himself of wrongdoing, attacking his coach Bruce Arians, Tom Brady’s trainer, and a swath of other parties. Yet these claims were widely seen as baseless due to their petty nature and his history.
It is truly sad to see a player with a Hall Of Fame trajectory fall because of his tantrums and attitude. Though he is still in contention to be signed, posting a photoshopped picture on his Twitter of himself in a Ravens jersey, no team should take on the risk that he presents. “If he does have a mental disability due to too many concussions, his situation is tragic,” Benedict said. “But regardless, he should not be playing in the NFL next season or ever in the future.”
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