It seemed like the only person who believed Antonio Brown could still play in the NFL after his departure from the Buccaneers was Antonio Brown. That appears to be over.
A proper level of self-awareness is something that many people lack. It’s nice to be able to look in the mirror and know where you are good and where you struggle. For those who have this skill, they can safely think “after quitting on the Buccaneers in such a dramatic fashion, my NFL career is probably over.”
It might have taken him some time, but it seems like Antonio Brown is starting to get the message.
Brown made as much clear in a recent interview where he states the obvious.
During an interview with @fcflio, free agent WR Antonio Brown said he won’t be playing in the NFL next season: “Nah, don’t play yourself looking at me to play.”
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 29, 2022
Was there actually any part of Brown that thought he would get another chance in the NFL? Sure, teams would love to get a new wide receiver that is one of the best in the league on a cheap contract due to character concerns, but no team can have Brown quit on them during games.
That is a stink that a player can’t wash off.
AB ended his career in one of the most dramatic fashions possible, and it is almost surprising that it has taken him this long to come to grips with the ramifications of that decision.
Even if Brown wanted to play football, which he should for a variety of reasons, he has taken that chance off the table for himself with a level of theatrics that might even be gratuitous for Hollywood.
No team in the NFL, especially not the Buccaneers, has the time or willingness to deal with a player like that.
The shame of the situation is that Tampa would’ve loved to keep Brown for that playoff push and this season if there was a way to keep that event from happening, but we’ve already known for quite some time that Brown is never coming back to Tampa now.
There are consequences to actions, and Antonio Brown is starting to get a better idea of what those are. The NFL doesn’t have time for headaches, and while Brown can act like this is his decision all he wants, the world knows what is going on.
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