Before his abrupt exit from yesterday’s game, Antonio Brown told staffers that he would be unable to continue due to his injured ankle (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). When he was pushed to re-enter the game, Brown refused, undressed, and sprinted to the tunnel. 
[RELATED: Buccaneers To Cut Antonio Brown]
The Bucs, without Brown, went on to complete a comeback win over the Jets. Immediately after the game, head coach Bruce Arians told reporters that the mercurial wide receiver was “no longer a Buc.”
Brown is now technically up for grabs, available on the waiver wire for playoff-bound clubs and hopefuls. It’s still unlikely that anyone will roll the dice on him, but the injured ankle does provide a bit of context for his viral moment. In his defense, the injury has hampered Brown throughout the year, all the way through Thursday and Friday when he was unable to practice.
For all of his off-the-field missteps, Brown has been stellar when on the field and healthy. Heading into Sunday, he had amassed 39 catches for 519 yards and four touchdowns across just six games. Now, after a quiet first half against the Jets and a very loud exit, his 2021 ends with a 42/545/4 line in seven contests.
His injured ankle certainly didn’t affect his ability to scamper towards the tunnel as he quit on his team.
he was pretty spry lookin coulda prob popped a couple cartwheels out there
Reminded me of a Dennis Rodman type exit
jessa, very good comparison.
Interesting if they forced him through the injury.
I feel like I could see a team picking him up to spite the Bucs. Another top NFC team. I feel like it couldn’t be too much harm if it’s just through the playoffs really, but then again who tf knows
Put a fork in him. He’s done.
No team will take a chance on him now.
People have been saying this for years about Brown.
All the horrible things he’s done and you think refusing to play is the final straw?
The NFL doesn’t care, someone will sign him again
Agreed. How about a free looksie at the TB playbook? That’s his value at this point.
Packers could us a excellent WR
Funny, somehow running around just seems to be his m.o.
Like, I imagine after he’s done running through the tunnel he’s going to get on the phone to his grandma then run around shirtless in his backyard some more.
I think maybe that’s where he should stay if he’s happy there.
I’ll say this about AB. He certainly knows how to attract attention!
Love the 1st paragraph: Before his abrupt exit from yesterday’s game, Antonio Brown told staffers that he would be unable to continue due to his injured ankle (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). When he was pushed to re-enter the game, Brown refused, undressed, and sprinted to the tunnel.
If his ankle was that bad, how could he have sprinted?
Saying “in his defense, he did have an ankle injury” is like saying “In Johnny Manziel’s defense, he does tip the bartenders well”.
now THATS funny!
Clearly the guy needs help, I feel really bad for him. That being said, do you suppose he took an Uber to the airport and flew commercial back to Tampa?
Who cares bye bye
His ankle looked fine as he ran off the field waving to the fans. Good bye AB, enjoy anonymity. Your 15 minutes are up!
Hope he gets picked up, dudes a beast
Chiefs could use a true WR2 next to Tyreek Hill. Antonio Brown would certainly for the bill. Be a perfect compliment to Tyreek Hill on the field and Josh Gordon off the field.
Wat
Great idea Brad. It would tear that team up.
Yeah, if AB would have thought that out a little more, he would have hobbled back to the dressing room… Football coaches tell you that you have to play sixty minutes a game, and acting coaches tell you to keep acting until the scene is finished…
That’s kinda the problem – he doesn’t have the ability to think
This guy had the chance to join the Raiders and cement his status as a Hall of Fame WR. Instead, he burned his feet off and got into a fight with the GM on the field in front of everyone. This guy definitely has some mental health issues that need to be addressed off the field before he should ever be allowed back on the field. As a bitter Raiders fan, I hope he doesn’t get another shot.
With Dallas losing their number 3 wide receiver for the rest of the year, I could see Jerry and Co. taking a chance on AB. I really hope he gets the help he needs and he can heal mentally with the right people around him.
If somebody picks him up and wins a SB with him, most of their fans won’t be bitching. Vast majority of fans only care about winning, especially in this day and age. No loyality, no caring, no ethics, just win baby.
I lived this being a Cubs fan with Chapman. Bad dude, but hey we broke the curse.
Everyone is overlooking the fact that this guy has mental problems.
When they do pre-season physicals, I wonder if teams ever investigate potential mental/psychological issues.
A well-balanced individual would not react as he did yesterday while kissing away potential bonuses and PD a super bowl ring. Maybe consider all of that.
A lot of people have considered the fact that he has mental problems, and by all accounts a lot of people have tried to help him including Tom Brady. You also need to consider that it’s possible to have mental problems and still be a world class d-bag.
These are a bunch of weak takes.
First, he didn’t sprint. He jogged.
It is very much possible to run lightly on an injured ankle, as anyone who has had such an injury can attest. Most low level sprains don’t even require treatment or braces.
This is especially true of an elite athlete. Guys with ankle injuries in MLB in the AL will DH a few games if they have a strong bat.
There is no such option as a wide receiver. You go 3/4 speed, you don’t get open, and you get hammered by a safety or linebacker.
What you can’t do is go full nfl speed, which is why if he felt he wasn’t healthy enough to perform again NFL players, he had every right to request out.
Not defending him, but the video does nothing to disprove he wasn’t game ready. That is the issue here.
Just be a professional about it. If you’re hurt and unable to compete properly then let the team know and sit on the bench. You don’t walk off the field and make a spectacle of yourself and cause a distraction for the rest of the team that actually still wants to play…many of whom are playing with injuries. This guy is a cancer to any team he plays on.
And what exactly is professional about telling a player to enter the game when they are physically unable to do the job?
You’re hammering other’s takes, but you’re making a potential leap with the word “tell” there. We don’t know if anyone said to Brown, “get back in the game.” Pushed could simply mean they asked if he could, or “hey, can you go in for this one play?” I don’t know the convo, nor do you.
Hypothetically, let’s assume he was heavily “persuaded” to go back in. You simply say no and sit on the bench. If it’s an issue, you file a grievance. This clown had to make the biggest scene possible, though.
One other thing- they simply could have wanted him to go in as a decoy. They may have never intended to throw to him or put him in a situation where he gets “hammered.”
I’ve read through all the comments on this and the other related threads. The only thing that always comes to mind is “… because jogging into the tunnel and running NFL routes are comparable?”
I’d think a visit to the tent would follow if a player says he’s not physically able to go back on the field; but I’m nowhere near as cut & dry when it comes to scenarios I have to rely on 2nd/3rd/4th hand information about
How long before the Florida cops arrest him again?
He burned an easy $1 million in bonuses.
Dudes mentally ill…..
His charade undermines his case if he had a legitimate reason for not returning to the field. I thought I heard earlier in the game broadcast that both he and Evans would be on snap counts. However, it sounds like the NFLPA will use this as the basis for a grievance against the Bucs, especially if they try to terminate any remaining payments on his contract for cause.
Now his ankle couldn’t be really all that bad if he sprinted away from the Bucs bench area to the endzone & decided to strip off his shirt & throw it into the crowd & then walking into the locker room. Antonio Brown has a lot & I mean a lot of Mental Health Issues & NO team should ever take a flyer on him again,
Brown has burned bridges with the Steelers, Raiders, Patriots & now the Bucs, Just think Brown burned his bridges with the Raiders before ever suiting up for a single game
He certainly looked fine to me when he was walking away and practically doing jumping jacks in the end zone.