It comes as little surprise that the name Antonio Brown carries a certain level of controversy. The accomplished wide out has been at the forefront of numerous scandals and accusations in recent years, a smattering of which still continue to develop, as his career in the NFL continues to foster hostility. A career which, for the most part, has been met with much individual success, it is off-field activities of the past which have tarnished Brown’s name. Now, fresh from his maiden Superbowl triumph with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the seven-time Pro Bowler faces another round in free agency, as a question mark over his future lurks above the unruly receivers’ head.
To begin, let us take a swift trip back to 2010. The embarkation of a fresh decade for us all but, for one fledgling receiver, it was to be a rather significant year. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Brown in the sixth round, 195th overall. Little did they know how talented a receiver they had just secured, and how blissfully unaware they were, too, of the off-field issues that would arise from that same young man. His inaugural season in the NFL demonstrated his electrifying potential, as he became the first player since Steve Smith Sr. of the Carolina Panthers in 2001 to record a kickoff return touchdown in his first career game. Brown’s exciting speed and agility promptly earned the Miami native a starting spot as kick returner, in addition to his favoured receiving position. The outlook was certainly one of encouragement and, as history shows, it certainly was, right up until it wasn’t, just prior to the 2018 season.
Yes, there was the intermittent and seemingly obligatory fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and skipped practice sessions but, compared to what was to later surface, Brown’s uprising in the NFL was not met with a great deal of turbulence. His relationship with the Steelers started to deteriorate just prior to the 2018 season, a mere six months after Brown had signed a four-year extension with the same organisation, worth $68 million, that would (supposedly) see him through to the current year. In the months that followed, Brown would later end up hurling furniture out of his 14th-floor apartment window, narrowly missing a 22-month old child, in addition to being caught speeding in excess of 100mph along a suburban highway. The then 29 year old, who, at this point, was right amongst the top receivers in the NFL, would in fact have but a mere year left in Pittsburgh, following an alleged feud with Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and more training skipped. Brown’s displeasure in Pittsburgh climaxed after being benched against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17.
The subsequent years would be met with relative uncertainty for an NFL superstar whose ego had begun to surpass him. The trade away from the Steel City was to be the start of a downhill spiral, in which his reputation would be tarnished by further accusations and moments of sheer bewilderment. What should have been a fresh beginning in Oakland for Brown following his move there became a six-month farce, in which frostbitten feet and drama over helmets suggested that his stay on the West Coast would be short-lived. Indeed it was, as a trip to the East Coast of New England would be the next stopping point for Brown. Such confusion surrounding his future, in addition to a constant bombardment of accusations, naturally hindered his own game. Not that it bears the same level of importance, after ex-trainer Britney Taylor accused Brown of rape just days after his move to Massachusetts, a trial which remains ongoing to this day.
Brown’s stay in New England, although briefer than that of Oakland, did in fact see him play a competitive game; a 46-0 win over Miami. Just the one game, however, as the constant media attention surrounding Brown was exponentially increasing, as he was hastily cut from the team. Emerge then into 2020, a year that many would rather forget but, for Antonio Brown at least, it presented the receiver with one final chance. Whilst the Buccaneers were busy devising a new offense, in which Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski swapped the chillier climates of New England for the palm tree laden streets of Florida, there was to be one missing piece of the puzzle; a solid receiver to go along with the already present Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. A one year, $1 million base salary was all it took for a player who, not three years prior, was one of the best in the sport. It is not a mystery as to how Brown’s first season in Tampa went, as the Bucs lifted their first Super Bowl Championship, outscoring Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas Chiefs 31-9.
In the build-up to Superbowl LV, there was, unsurprisingly, a wave of animosity towards Brown from a large proportion of NFL supporters. ‘Grateful’ was a word often used by the receiver during the pre-match interview, but perhaps his gratefulness should be in the direction of Brady, as it was the ageless Quarterback who persuaded Tampa to consider Brown as a potential option. His first season in Tampa unearthed little in the way of drama. Perhaps the key ingredient for Brown’s success was having an experienced Quarterback to keep him in check, or just maybe that he realises that any further antics could see him out of the NFL for good. The future for the wide out now remains uncertain. Brown’s constantly evolving story is one with many potential endings, as he waits for the resumption of his trial later this year, his fate is concealed. The court decision will be detrimental into whether Brown’s career in the NFL will be extended.
Succeeding the conclusion of the 2020 season, the now 32 year old heads to free agency with question marks looming over his future. In the eleven games that he played in Tampa, 564 receiving yards combined with five touchdowns, one of which in the Super Bowl, to exhibit his adept talent. At such a low risk, too, in terms of his low-cost contract, the Buccaneers may look to re-sign Brown on another one-year deal. A deal in which Brown would be no doubt grateful for once more, and why not, seeing as it was with the Bucs that he played in at least two games in an entire season since his final year in Pittsburgh.
It appears plausible that Brown will remain in Tampa, as manager Bruce Arians did state his intentions on keeping much the same team as that which won him his first Championship. Failure to re-sign with Tampa could be met with difficulty, as his history is soon to catch up with him later this year. It implies, then, that there are not just questions hovering above his NFL career, but for Antonio Brown himself.
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