It’s been three days since Antonio Brown left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sideline after taking off his jersey and pads. But the speculation as to the reason why continues.
Many people, including his teammate Tom Brady, alluded to mental health. There were reports that he and the team differed over his physical health status. The latest is it was a beef about targets within the offense.
FS1 talking head Shannon Sharpe doesn’t think anything that has been reported is adding up.
“I think I read a report. I don’t know if it’s true. That he [AB] is visiting an ankle specialist. But the Bucs are like, hold up, bro. You just had 15 targets, caught 10 for 100…he said he was hurt and didn’t want to go in. If that was the case why were Mike Evans and OJ Howard trying to talk to him? If he said he was hurt, why did he get upset about not being put in? Something’s just not adding up. Even if that is the case, no matter what, you can’t handle it the way he handled it.”
Why are there so many conflicting stories floating around? What actually went down on the sideline that caused Brown to react the way he did?
Sharpe and his “Undisputed” co-host Skip Bayless seem to give credence to the idea that Brown’s actions were a result of reduced targets.
In the week prior Brown was targeted 15 times and caught 10 passes for 101 yards. On Sunday Brown was targeted five times and caught three passes for 26 yards.
Sharpe and Bayless implied that Rob Gronkowski’s increased targets on Sunday, 10 targets, that led to seven catches for 115 yards got Brown upset.
The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that Brown went to visit a foot surgeon, presumably for a diagnosis that states he was too injured to be on the field.
Unless Arians, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, Brown, and every player on the sideline that was near the argument, are given truth serum and asked what happened we will never know.
The Bucs have still not released Brown from the roster, despite head coach Bruce Arians saying he is no longer with the team.
NFL insider Josina Anderson tweeted that Brown would get a job on another team if he wanted one.
That may be the only thing we know for certain regarding this whole situation.
The NFL is a business predicated on winning. Coaches and general managers will and have literally done anything it takes to win a football game. Brown has demonstrated he still possesses the skills that can help a team win, so why wouldn’t another playoff team sign him?
Whether or not Brown should be playing football is another matter altogether. He and his medical team will need to decide that part of it. If there is a mental health issue as has been suggested, he and a professional would have to address that,
Despite all the drama, Brown was spotted courtside for the Nets’ loss to the Grizzlies at Barclays Center on Monday, Jan. 3, and he partied with rapper Fabolous later that night.
