Antonio BrownThe last NFL game was a memorable one, as the wide receiver defiantly took his jersey off the field during a game against the Jets at the end of the 2021 season. the Buccaneers dropped 14 points to Jets It was late in the third quarter when a shirtless Brown decided it was time to go to the locker room.
Tampa Bay released Brown a few days later, as the wide receiver argued that the team forced him to play through an ankle injury. He hasn’t played since.
Brown addressed the situation Saturday with Tyreek Hill It Needs To Be Said podcast, and the former Buccaneer stood by his claim that the team expected him to play because of the injury.
Antonio Brown just tossed his uniform and equipment into the crowd and left the game
(through @NFLonFOX)pic.twitter.com/akW5Csa04l
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 2, 2022
“We’re about to play the Jets, and this week I’m really hurt,” he said. “So I was taking pictures of the coach being like ‘If we’re going to win the Super Bowl, I’ve got to take these last two weeks. [of the regular season] at least recover so I can give you my best; we’re here to win the Super Bowl,’ so the coach, [Bruce Arians]it’s like ‘Hey man, we’re not resting.'”
In fact, Brown said Tom Brady lured him into playing against the Jets by promising him targets.
“Tom called me ‘Yo, this week man, the Jets man, they sweet man beat you 10 to 12 [targets],’” Brown said. “So, he’s going to let me get to know me, that’s all I need to hear, like you, you’re going to throw me the ball.”
Update: Antonio Brown opens up about what led to the end of his NFL career.
What causes the melting of #Jets drama pic.twitter.com/uaNVF6I9a3
(🎥 @cheetah_podcast with @cheetah)
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 23, 2023
By the time Brown exited the Jets game, he had recorded three receptions on five targets. Last week, he notched 10 catches in 15 targets against Panthers.
Brown described his relationship with Brady as a “football relationship” on the podcast, saying he and the former quarterback don’t have much in common outside of the game. Meanwhile, Brown admits that he does not harbor much ill will towards Brady for not being a close friend, he still believes that Brady enticed him to play while injured.
“Tom Brady hit me like ‘Yo, this is a big week,'” Brown said. “I know my s— f—– up, but if he’s going to let me do that, why not? So I changed, got dressed and when I got to New York, I felt a bad energy.
Now, nearly 18 months after the incident, Brown still believes the Buccaneers mishandled his situation.
“They treated me like a dog,” Brown said.
