As of this moment, Antonio Brown is still on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For the second day in a row, the wideout didn’t make an appearance on the NFL’s transaction report, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Buccaneers To Cut Antonio Brown]
On Sunday, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians indicated that Brown’s stint with the organization had come to an end, but the actual transaction has yet to take place. Per Mark Maske of The Washington Post (via Twitter), the Buccaneers are still talking with the NFL about how they should proceed. The organization is specifically concerned with “procedural issues and which designation” they should use on the wideout, and the Buccaneers’ inquiry has made its way to the NFL Players Association.
Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times confirms (on Twitter) what most have suspected: the Buccaneers don’t want Brown to be claimed by another squad. The reporter opines that the organization could ultimately turn to the personal conduct policy’s “Conduct Detrimental clause” as a way to avoid any guaranteed money.
To review: Brown and Arians reportedly had a spat on the sideline during Sunday’s win over the Jets, with Brown refusing to enter the game due to his injured ankle. Brown proceeded to emphatically exit the game, and Arians later indicated that Brown was no longer a member of the organization. Fast forward 48 hours, and Brown still hasn’t earned his walking papers. Brown’s camp is now claiming that the receiver was truly concerned about his ankle, and if Brown decides to stick to that story, that could be another explanation for the lack of a transaction.
I will say, I certainly still cant say I stand for AB, and while it could certainly be argued to be simply an excuse, there is certainly an underlying questiom brought up once more about the validity of a team in playing an injured player.
Say what you want about the injury and the questions surrounding that but it was not an hallucination by the whole world that the moron stripped his shirt off during the game and stormed off the field like a little girl. And for that he should never play another down in the NFL.
And he did so by running and doing jumping jacks on his way out that showed his ankle to be quite serviceable.
That was my thought too. There is incriminating evidence that he put on national TV of him frolicking about on his exit. I’ve sprained ankles before and when you’ve got one, you certainly can’t move like that. I’m sure the team docs had ran the medical tests before the game, as well, that corroborated he was fit for play.
All that being said … somebody will still be happy to sign AB if he’s cut loose, because the guy is still a tremendous receiver.
Jumping jacks puts the same stress on your ankles as running routes and being tackled by your ankles and having your ankles twisted in pile ups?
I gotta stop reading these comments
How many times has he been in a pileup getting his ankles twisted? He’s a WR, the few catches he gets he’s out of bounds untouched, drops the ball or is tackled by one weak DB. The way he was carrying on he sure seemed fine. Adrenaline, tape and medicine takes over and provide the a lot too.
it is, which is why I am not standing by him.
Does anyone care if you’re standing by him? Aren’t you the same dude who said it was a wild take for me to say Zimmer was a good coach when he had a 69-54 record and then couldn’t even explain why that’s so wild?
Little girls take off their shirts and storm off fields?
Certainly
Are you certain though?
They should just release him. Trying to suspend him or recoup money is going to bring more light on this situation than Tampa Bay likely wants heading into the playoffs.
The way he was hopping around on his ankle diminishes his argument slightly.
Running crisp, stop and go style routes is far more demanding then doing a little hop off of the field. You can have an injured ankle and run–not a huge deal. Having an injured ankle running routes and sprinting is quite different.
Jack Youngblood played with a fractured fibula simply because he did not want to let his team down.
Steve McNair played with a bruised sternum while staying in a hospital waiting for surgery.
Ronnie Lott taped up a badly broken finger to return to a game. Later he just had the finger amputated so as not to miss any playing time.
Chris Sims ruptured his spleen during a game with the Bucs. He returned to play and had the spleen removed after the game.
Antonio Brown stripped, skipped, danced, did jumping jacks, and high fived fans while running off the field in the 3rd quarter as his team was losing.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
McNair played while in the hospital? That is impressive.
No one said it was so why go to the extreme example of running routes?
All he is saying is that Antonio Brown could have a real ankle injury, but he didn’t really show it or seem to care about it as he paraded out.
He could’ve just sat on the bench and said his ankle not healthy. No one would’ve argued or forced him on the field. In fact they would’ve carried him inside to inspect it.
That may be true, but the result of the MRI bolsters it.
He can rape women but the minute he took off his jersey he went too far. The outrage at AB for this incident is the worst he’s ever faced. Bread and circus drama
I don’t respect him in the slightest, but Brown didn’t rape anyone, at least not conclusively. Even so, this isn’t just one thing. Some people are taking that into account, and this reaction is a buildup of all of his actions. Spare us the outrage. He did something low class and stupid and we all witnessed it on live television. That should give you your reasoning why everyone is saying what they are about Antonio Brown.
its a cumulative thing. switch their orders and you’d get the same result in regards to outrage over time.
“Someone who needed to be brought to justice was brought to justice BUT I don’t like the particular piece of justice they used!”
Are you mad that they got Al Capone on tax charges, too?
My guess is Brown has “soft tissue” damage. Sadly that tissue is between his ears and can’t be detected! TB knows Old Roger! If they release Brown regardless of his mental imbalance or character misconduct Roger will clear him and another team will snatch him up. Someone that also doesn’t care able the Goodell Shield will bring him on board thats why Brown acts as he does! Stay tuned to: As the NFL turns for the next episode.
he’s just onrey because of an enlarged medulla oblongata. h2o
Just cut him already. All this dancing around about worrying who signs Brown or trying to recoup money just shows that Tampa has no backbone. You signed him, you enabled him, and he burned you. This whole situation is just pitiful.
Most likely they haven’t because a room full of attorneys are looking at all the potential legal recourses.
I understand that, I do, but you can’t pretend to have “no tolerance” for stupidity or say things like Brown is “no longer a Buc” and sit on the issue until it’s right for you. Take responsibility and cut the guy, or quit pretending to be morally outraged. Arians needs to stand up for himself and his team or he needs to quit pretending to be such a tough guy.
#FreeAB
Are they paranoid that the Packers or Rams would sign him or something? No one is touching this man with a 50 ft pole. Just be done with it already
Next year, Seattle will give him a try.
It’s plausible. You know Dallas just lost Gallup and Jerry is a bit of a loose cannon, right?
No, they’re worried someone does claim him off waivers, which Tampa Bay would be on the hook for the rest of the guaranteed money they owe him. They’re also worried if AB sticks to his story about his ankle, then an outright release could open the door for a lawsuit from AB. Basically, they’re trying to find a way to get out of the guaranteed money they owe him and erase the risk of any legal repercussions,
Also the delay could be due to the bucs being worried someone would sign him just to pick up the playbook and reads they make at the line of scrimmage pre-snap. Just a guess I’m throwing out there
I’m sure Brady has talked them into keeping him for the playoffs.
Not cutting him makes sense. Do YOU want to trust AB to not contact every potential Tampa Bay playoff opponent with details about their playbook??
A little film study is all that is needed to learn an opponents playbook. Even Madden football has learned that.
The odds of AB having never once read and likely lost his Bucs playbook are far higher than the odds of him providing useful info to anyone about much of anything.
Probably just waiting to see if Goodell does something – as wearing the wrong socks or shoes is usually enough to get some league attention.
Watch a wildcard sign him and they come into TB and spank them.Headlines anyone?
They’re probably playing Philly who isn’t going to sign him.
The Cowboys might be next and the Cowboys would definitely consider signing Brown. I’d like to see it – the drama is incredible.
He needs help but is too much of a coward to ask for it. Sad really. Having said that, until he receives help, he should be blacklisted from the nfl. I honestly don’t k ow who would sign him at this point. No team trying to make or going into the playoffs can afford to have their season ruined by him causing a scene and hurting already established relationships. Teams with young qbs will stay away and teams with veterans will not want to put up with someone who literally walked out on his own playoff team with the best qb of all time leading it.
Wasn’t this all tied to a stunt to get publicity for his big song/video release?
Just put him on the inactive list on game day..
They won’t release him, this isn’t up to Arians. It would not completely shock me to see AB start in the playoffs
Need to release AB. You told him to get lost. This is on you. Now cut him.