Is Antonio Brown Actually 'Crazy'?

You don't even have to be a sports fan to remember what happened in the NFL on January 2nd, 2022. Social media was full with replays and memes, and almost all prominent news networks were talking about Antonio Brown, former Buccaneers wide receiver, and his dramatic exit out of The MetLife Stadium. The worst part? It was in the middle of the game.

Antonio Brown exiting MetLife stadium after throwing off his jersey

Link: https://sportsbugz.com/antonio-brown-walks-off-field-why-did-antonio-brown-leave-the-bucs/

Everyone immediately thought, “that’s it for him, he’d had too many chances.” People believed that Antonio Brown’s time in the NFL was finally coming to an end.

Tweet in response to Antonio Brown's tweet about potentially signing with the Ravens

link: https://twitter.com/Giopetroni/status/1486085138891030534

Tweet In Response to Antonio Brown

Link:https://twitter.com/SeanSteelermong/status/1485444836123713537

But is it?

It is important to first address the issue at hand. Brown walked off the field in the middle of the game; he threw off his jersey, took off his pads, and he was ready to leave the Buccaneers for good, contract aside. The way in which he exited, quit on his teammates, coaches and buccaneers family was inexcusable.

Antonio Brown walking off the field in the middle of the game

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wsiaX8VgQ

However, what is not discussed enough is the lack of compassion shown by the Bucaneer’s coaching staff regarding Brown’s health status. Brown was suffering from an ankle injury and coach Bruce Arians knew it. Prior to the game, Brown reached out to the coach to make him aware that he was not 100 percent ready to play in the game.

Brown's recent tweet shows a screenshot of an exchange with coach Bruce Arians about his ankle status.

link: https://twitter.com/AB84/status/1479073303134457858

He sat out of practice on Thursday and Friday due to his ankle injury. Arians seemed to have brushed it off, and when it came time for Brown to enter the game, Brown said he couldn’t physically put himself in any more pain. A scuffle or two later, Brown was walking off the field shirtless, waving to the crowd.

We can all agree that the way in which Brown handled the situation is far from professional. However, can’t we say the same for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization? Yes, Antonio Brown is considered one of the greatest wide-receiver in league history. Yes, the Buccaneers are coming off a Super Bowl win and are hungry for another one. But at what point is it worth causing physical harm to one of your most prominent contributors?

The answer: it’s not. You sign players like Brown to help your team win, but you don’t disregard the fact that he is not superman. Players like Antonio Brown are hard to come by, so when you get a chance to have him on your team, the least you can do is prioritize his health.

Can you blame him?