This time next week, the NFL-imposed suspensions of receiver Antonio Brown and safety Mike Edwards will be completed, formally allowing both to return to Bucs headquarters.
But whether the organization will take either back remains uncertain.
Coach Bruce Arians said Monday that no decision has been made regarding the status of the pair, suspended for three games without pay (along with former Bucs receiver John Franklin III) for misrepresenting their COVID-19 vaccination status.
When asked specifically about Brown’s future with the team, Arians replied, “I haven’t made that determination yet, but we’ll see how it goes.”
All three were suspended Dec. 2, and all accepted their discipline and waived their right to an appeal. Arians has refrained from elaborating on the players but said the day after the suspensions were announced that the NFL’s findings “pisses me off” because of the Bucs’ otherwise aggressive measures in terms of mitigating the effects of the pandemic.
Whether the players’ consequences segue from the league to the legal system also remains unclear; using and/or selling fake vaccination cards is a felony subject to fines and up to five years in prison.
Because they remain suspended for one more game, Brown and Edwards are allowed to have access to the team facility only for rehab and to pick up gear. Brown, who hasn’t played in a game since Oct. 14 due to ankle and foot injuries, was spotted leaving AdventHealth Training Center on Thursday carrying a helmet, several pairs of cleats and football pants.
“We’ll talk as an organization,” Arians said. “It’s coming up soon. When we know, we’ll let everybody know.”
