Antonio Brown’s turbulent tenure as a Buccaneer is over.
Fox cameras captured the controversial veteran receiver exiting the MetLife Stadium field in an apparent huff — minus pads or even his jersey — late in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jets. Brown was seen tossing an undershirt and his gloves into the stands as he departed.
The Bucs’ official radio network reported Brown had been benched by coach Bruce Arians just before the episode.
“Antonio Brown boiled over, very upset on the sideline,” Fox sideline reporter Jen Hale said. “Took off his shoulder pads. Mike Evans, O.J. Howard trying to convince him to keep them on. Obviously they were unable to do so.”
Brown had three catches on five targets for 26 yards upon his departure.
After the game, Arians said Brown “is no longer a Buc. That’s the end of the story. Let’s talk about the guys who went out there and won the game.”
In his first game back since his three-game suspension for misrepresenting his vaccination status, Brown sparkled (10 catches, 101 yards) in last week’s 32-6 road triumph against the Panthers. Afterward, he accused reporters of “creating drama” in reporting his off-field malfeasance.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Fox analyst (and former Cowboys fullback) Daryl Johnston said. “I’ve been affiliated with the NFL for over 30 years, and I have never seen anything like that in those 30 years.”
f Sunday’s incident marked his Bucs finale, Brown leaves as much as $1 million in performance incentives on the table, according to spotrac.com
He currently has 42 catches for 545 yards and four touchdowns. Based on the one-year deal he signed in May, he would’ve earned a $333,333 performance incentive with 50 catches, another $333,333 for 600 yards, and yet another for five TDs.
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