Former All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown was an absolute headcase for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s why he’s Tampa Bay’s problem now.
Former Steelers wide receiver, Antonio Brown, has made headlines over the last two years for all the wrong reasons. Though he had a great thing going for him in Pittsburgh, his greed and arrogance got the best of him as he forced his way out the door while still under contract.
Brown hasn’t played any sort of relevant football since walking out on the Steelers in the final game of their 2018 season. Now, two years later, he has found a home with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Signing Antonio Brown could easily backfire
Though Antonio Brown was no doubt a terrific football player, teams seem so quick to forget about all of the issues that go into bringing in a nut-job player like AB. By my standards, Brown has become the biggest headcase to ever play the game. He makes Terrell Owens look like Mother Teresa.
Do people remember everything this guy did? He was cancer eating away the sanity in Pittsburgh’s locker room. When the Steelers tried to trade him to Buffalo, Brown quickly shot that down – insisting he would not sign an extension there.
Eventually, Pittsburgh was forced to deal him for less compensation to the Las Vegas Raiders. However, he had such a bad relationship with Mike Mayok, Jon Gruden, and the coaching staff that the team was forced to cut him before playing a single game and after already signing a lucrative new extension.
Brown was soon picked up by New England (of course) and dressed in 8 games before a domestic dispute involving Antonio Brown led to his release.
Now 32 years old, Brown is on his 4th NFL team in less than two years’ time. That ought to tell you something, folks. AB’s laundry list of disputes with teams and run-ins with the law should have been enough to keep him out of the league forever.
Who knows. Perhaps Brown will be able to keep his head glued on straight long enough to make a positive impact on the Buccaneers and not implode the franchise. But based on what he’s done to his last three teams, I wouldn’t bet on it.
Antonio Brown was one of the best wide receivers to ever play the game for most of his career – surpassing 11,000 receiving yards and 75 touchdowns. Had he been able to swallow his pride and stick it out in Pittsburgh, he had a chance to go down as a top-five receiver of all time. Now, no matter what happens with the Buccaneers, he will always be known as one of the biggest headcases in NFL history.