Antonio Brown has had one of the most unusual starts to the 2019 season than maybe any player in NFL history. After having a falling out with the Steelers—where he called out quarterback Ben Roethlisberger—Brown got traded to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason for a third-round and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2019 draft.
It was a new start for Brown who was looking for one after a fallout in Pittsburgh. Then things got really interesting, with the Raiders being the team on HBO’s hard knocks for the 2019 season Brown got all the media attention he could have wished for.
Brown always had a chip on his shoulder ever since the 2010 draft, a sixth-round draft pick out of Central Michigan, no one foresaw Brown to be one of the league’s best receivers except for Brown himself. Brown always had the motivation to be the best ever, in fact he even wore the number 84 for a reason.
Well, my number is 84. Eight times four is 32. Thirty-two teams looked past me, even the Steelers. So every time I go out there it’s a little added motivation.
Brown worked as hard as anybody to be the best in the league and his work showed dividends with his production on the field. In his second season Brown had 69 receptions for 1,108 yards, the first of Brown’s seven seasons with more than 1,000 yards. Brown was slowly working his way into being a top receiver in the league.
By 2014, his fourth year in the league, Brown was one of the best receivers in the game. When asked about Antonio Brown former Steelers teammates usually say the same thing, that he was the hardest worker they’ve ever seen.
Brown knew he needed to be like this because he was so underestimated in the draft, Brown seemed to make it a personal goal to prove everyone who doubted him wrong—well he did that and more. Brown soon became a star player on the field and started acting like it off the field.
Brown started to routinely show up late to team meetings in preparation to the upcoming came according to some teammates. However, Brown wasn’t always fined for this conduct due to his star power and charisma.
It was obvious that Brown was flashy on and off the field, but he was never considered a diva in Pittsburgh until his last season. During his last season in 2018 the Steelers locker room was not one where all the players were always on the same page as each other. No locker room is ever like this, but when the biggest culprits are your star receiver and your quarterback then there are some issues.
Brown was not happy that he did not get the love he felt he deserved from his quarterback and was upset about not getting the ball all the time. This led to week 17 where Brown and Roethlisberger had a disagreement in the Wednesday practice that led to Brown not playing in the Steelers final game of the season.
Brown was highly upset due to this and requested to be released or traded by the Steelers. The Steelers felt it was time to let the star receiver go, but they were not just going to release him for any team to pick him up, they needed compensation, so a trade was immanent.
Months later the Steelers and Raiders agreed to terms for the receiver, Brown’s tenure in Pittsburgh was over. A new start was brought to life for the receiver and it seemed like it would be the end of the antics from the receiver.
Little did the Raiders know that this would just be the start of one of the craziest off-season’s in recent memory.
In July at the start of training camp Brown showed up to the Raiders facility with frostbite on the bottom of his feet due to not wearing proper footwear during a cryotherapy mishap in France earlier in the month. Three days later Brown would be taken off the non-football injury list and would be cleared to participate.
Then, just two days after being activated Brown left the practice early to take care of his feet and protest the NFL for not allowing him to wear his 10-year old helmet due to safety reasons, Brown would not be seen for two weeks.
Less than a month later Brown received news from the league that he lost his grievance to wear his helmet, again Brown took an unexpected leave of absence. This time general manager Mike Mayock fined Brown $40,000 for the unexcused absence. Later that month Brown attempted again to wear his old helmet, filing another grievance against the league. He lost that grievance as well.
On September 4th Brown skipped stretching and went straight into individual drills in a half-hearted manner. He then had a confrontation with Mayock on the practice field and in the locker room. The next day the Raiders said that they would suspend Brown for conduct detrimental to the team.
Three days later the team fined Brown $215,000 and voided the $29.125 million worth of guaranteed money. Even with the fine the intentions were that he would be eligible to play in the Raiders season opener against the Denver Broncos.
Brown said that there is “no way” that he would play for the Raiders after losing the guaranteed money. Brown then asked for his release via Instagram, with the help of a social media coordinator. The move worked out and the Raiders released Brown at noon ET.
Mere hours later Brown was on another team, the Patriots would sign the receiver to a one-year $15 million-dollar contract with a $9 million dollar signing bonus, a deal that was finalized on September 9th. One day later Brown’s former trainer filed a Civil suit against Brown, accusing him of three incidents of sexual assault or rape in 2017 and 2018.
This did not seem like a huge issue for the Patriots since it was just in the early stages of the accusation process. It was an issue for the helmet manufacturer Xenith who ended its relationship with Brown on September 13th.
Two days later Brown debuted for the Patriots, finishing with four catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. After the game it seemed as if Brown had found a new home where he could find success for the remainder of the season.
A day later the NFL met with Taylor and found out the Brown faced another allegation of sexual misconduct by a female artist who was working at his Western Pennsylvania home in 2017. This allegation detailed domestic incidents involving Brown, a charity auction theft and multiple unpaid debts.
On September 19th the Boston Globe reported that Brown would no longer be a Nike athlete. Again, these did not seem to be enough for the Patriots to release Brown, but later that day the lawyer for the artist reached out to the league after Brown apparently sent what were described as threatening messages to her client.
This was all the Patriots needed, less than two weeks after signing him Brown was released by the Patriots.
On September 20th Brown tweeted out that he would no longer be playing in the NFL because the owners have too much power. Brown’s agent said he is looking for another opportunity from a team to continue to play the sport he loves.
As of right now it seems like Brown’s career is over, at least until these allegations are thoroughly gone through and it is determined whether or not Brown did the things he is accused of.
Even when that is all said and done Brown looks like he will never play another down in the league. Whether it be fair or not this entire offseason will affect the legacy the Brown has left in the NFL. What once could have been a top-10 receiver of all-time now turns into a great receiver whose personal demons caught up to him in the prime of his career.
Even if, after all of this Brown decides he wants to return to the league this may be enough for teams not to sign Brown knowing the drama and possible backlash that would come with signing Brown.
Antonio Brown’s National Football League Career is over and there may be no hope of salvaging a possible comeback.