Antonio Brown 'No Longer A Buc' After Strange In-Game Incident
By Jason Hall
January 3, 2022
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said wide receiver Antonio Brown is "no longer a Buc" following a strange in-game incident during Sunday's (January 2) 28-24 win against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
"He is no longer a Buc. That's the end of the story," Arians told reporters after the game via NFL.com.
Buccaneers radio sideline reporter TJ Rives reported Arians benched Brown during the third quarter of Sunday's game and the wide receiver responded by taking off his shoulder pads and jersey and throwing them down on the bench.
Brown was then seen running shirtless onto the field and into the tunnel during the game's live broadcast as the Buccaneers' offensive drive continued.
Arians later told FOX Sports' Jay Glazer that he tried to get Brown back into the game but the receiver refused.
Arians then told Brown to get out, according to Glazer.
"Never seen anything like it in all my years," Arians told Glazer.
FOX Sports sideline reporter Jennifer Hale said she had a "long chat" with Brown prior to the game and said she was unsure what changed between then and the third quarter incident.
As we just said on #GoBucs radio Antonio Brown was benched by Coach Bruce Arians before taking off his shoulder pads and jersey and throwing them down on the bench. He's gone to lockerrom on his own
— TJ Rives (@BucSidelineGuy) January 2, 2022
Antonio Brown ran off the field shirtless after showing some frustration on the sidelines.@JenHale504 pic.twitter.com/Jet6ofnNm2
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 2, 2022
Just talked to Bruce Arians who said he was trying to get AB to go into game & AB refused. Tried again Brown refused & Arians told him to get out. On if he saw AB take his jersey off.
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 2, 2022
“Yeah, I did. Never seen anything like it in all my years.” @NFLonFOX
"He was all smiles, saying his ankle wasn't 100%, but he was playing for his team, preparing for postseason w/ his brothers," Hale tweeted. "What happened between that & the 2nd half meltdown? Praying for peace & guidance for him."
Praying for Antonio Brown: long chat w/ him pregame. He was all smiles, saying his ankle wasn’t 100%, but he was playing for his team, preparing for postseason w/ his brothers. What happened between that & the 2nd half meltdown? Praying for peace & guidance for him. @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/VplQs9LoaO
— Jennifer Hale (@JenHale504) January 2, 2022
Brown was recently among three players suspended for violating the NFL-NFLPA's COVID-19 protocols.
The NFL confirmed Brown and teammate Mike Edwards, as well as free agent John Franklin III -- if signed to a club -- will all be ineligible for the next three games in a news release shared on its official communications website on December 2.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported an investigation into allegations that Brown, Edwards and Franklin all misrepresented their vaccination statuses under the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 protocols proved to be conclusive.
#Bucs WR Antonio Brown was determined to have misrepresented his vaccination status under the NFL-NFLPA COVID-19 Protocols. The review supported those allegations and found that Brown — and two others — violated protocols.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 2, 2021
Brown has appeared in seven games for the Buccaneers this season and recorded 42 receptions for 545 yards and four touchdowns.
The seven-time Pro Bowler was initially placed on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list in September and missed Tampa Bay's Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Brown won his first Super Bowl with the Buccaneers after signing with the franchise midway through the 2020 season and re-signed as part of a one-year, $6.25 million deal with a $2 million signing bonus and $3.1 million guaranteed this past offseason, despite undergoing off-season knee surgery.