In a lengthy statement released Wednesday night, the lawyer for former Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown alleged that the team ignored what was a "well-known ankle injury" prior to Brown leaving the field mid-game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. He also denied that Brown's actions had anything to do with a mental health issue.
"Antonio Brown never faked an injury in his life. It is incredible that people are pushing false rumors that what happened Sunday was the result of mental health issues and not a well known ankle injury," Brown's lawyer, Sean Burstyn, wrote. "Mental health is important, but so is basic dignity."
Burstyn said that the Brown underwent an MRI on Monday, which showed bone and ligament damage that will require surgery. He claims the Bucs are embarking on a "campaign of false concealment" to avoid taking responsibility for ignoring Brown's risk for serious injury by playing him on Sunday.
Brown left Sunday's game against the Jets during the third quarter, taking off his jersey and shoulder pads and walking into the tunnel. Bucs coach Bruce Arians said Brown refused to go into the game when coaches tried to sub him in.
Burstyn says the Bucs are trying to manipulate the truth and get Brown's camp to attribute his actions to a mental health issue.
"After [the game], the Bucs pushed our camp to claim that they did nothing wrong and suggested that we should say this event was purely the product of mental illness," Burstyn wrote. "Now they’re subjecting him to behind the scenes arbitrary gamesmanship. They cut him, now they cage him."
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