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01-06-2022 12:53 PM
Antonio Brown is finally addressing the bizarre incident that ended his Bucs career ... claiming the team gave him a "powerful and sometimes dangerous painkiller" and forced him to play despite knowing he had a serious ankle injury -- all leading to the moment he says head coach Bruce Arians told him "you're done!"
That's when 33-year-old AB says he removed his jersey and pads ... and walked off the Met Life football field.
"Because of my commitment to the game, I relented to pressure directly from my coach to play injured. Despite the pain, I suited up, the staff injected me with what I now know was a powerful and sometimes dangerous painkiller that the NFLPA has warned against using, and I gave it my all for the team," Brown said in a statement released by his attorney.
The 7x Pro Bowler continued, saying he balled until the pain got to a point where he could no longer endure it.
"I played until it was clear that I could not use my ankle to safely perform my playing responsibilities. On top of that, the pain was extreme. I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, 'What's wrong with you? What's wrong with you?' I told him, 'It's my ankle.' But he knew that."
Brown says he responded ... '"Coach, I can't.' He didn't call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, "YOU'RE DONE!" while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn't play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs."
Bottom line, Brown says ... "I didn't quit. I was cut. I didn't walk away from my brothers. I was thrown out."
As for the Bucs, Arians claimed he never discussed an ankle injury with Antonio.
Clearly, AB and the team have two different views as to what transpired on the field ... in what was one of the strangest and surreal moments in NFL history.
Brown -- who'd caught 3 balls for 26 yards -- was seen engaged in a very animated conversation on the sideline with star WR Mike Evans.
Then, AB, standing only feet from his teammates, removed his jersey, pads, and t-shirt until he was bare-chested. Brown threw his shirt into the stands ... and ultimately walked through the tunnel into the locker room.
Antonio was seen calling an Uber from the front of the stadium in East Rutherford, NJ ... before taking a car to NYC.
While in Manhattan, Brown says he saw several top doctors ... and was diagnosed with a significant ankle injury.
“What they did know until now is that on Monday morning I had an urgent MRI on my ankle. It shows broken fragments stuck in my ankle, the ligament torn from the bone, and cartilage loss, which are beyond painful. You can see the bone bulging from the outside.”
Antonio says the damage can be fixed ... but will require surgery, which he intends to have done.
As for his football future ... #81 says he plans to play again next year.
“Once my surgery is complete, I’ll be back to 100% and looking forward to next season. Business gonna be BOOMIN!"
Question is ... will there be any takers?
Despite the drama and questions about his future, Brown doesn't seem to be taking the situation too hard. After seeing the docs, he stayed in NYC, taking in the Brooklyn Nets game Monday night.
SOURCE: TMZ
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Regarding the "red" bolded statement: If you watch the video, you will see that Antonio is NOT limping when he walked/skipped from the game.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
01-06-2022 01:16 PM
this guy is just a plain nut case and has demonstrated that before with other teams- he is a good athlete but that is it-no ethics at all and will NEVER play again in the NFL- good riddens is all I can say, the NFL does not need cancer like that in the sport- hopefully you just posted this for info and not because you support the man- not sure what your post has to do with QVC products though since that is the reason for these forums is to post about products and such not life events
01-06-2022 01:34 PM
Another officer on the board police, I'm frankly tired of posters trying to be amateur mods. Look to you left and see there are all kindest of subjects addressed here, and if they are inappropriate they will be removed. 😡
01-06-2022 01:37 PM
@arizona babe wrote:this guy is just a plain nut case and has demonstrated that before with other teams- he is a good athlete but that is it-no ethics at all and will NEVER play again in the NFL- good riddens is all I can say, the NFL does not need cancer like that in the sport- hopefully you just posted this for info and not because you support the man- not sure what your post has to do with QVC products though since that is the reason for these forums is to post about products and such not life events
@arizona babe Do you know you are in the Sports Forum? This is where posters post about Sports!
01-06-2022 01:37 PM - edited 01-06-2022 01:40 PM
@arizona babe wrote:this guy is just a plain nut case and has demonstrated that before with other teams- he is a good athlete but that is it-no ethics at all and will NEVER play again in the NFL- good riddens is all I can say, the NFL does not need cancer like that in the sport- hopefully you just posted this for info and not because you support the man- not sure what your post has to do with QVC products though since that is the reason for these forums is to post about products and such not life events
Are you sure that is what you meant about posting? You participate in forums about much more than QVC products.
01-06-2022 02:03 PM
Antonio Brown had a severe head injury could be the cause of his mental issues. He was not like that before.
Why is nobody in the NFL seriously seeing this as a probable cause?
"In 2016, Brown suffered a serious concussion after an illegal hit from Vontaze Burfict of the Cincinnati Bengals. A year later, he then sustained a severe helmet-to-helmet impact the Bengals' George Llhka, per New York Magazine."
01-06-2022 02:10 PM
@arizona babe You are very much mistaken about the purpose of these forums.
We can discuss "life events" and anything else (mostly) with a couple of exceptions.
You need to read more posts and see what's actually going on here. Widen your horizons!
01-06-2022 02:15 PM
I was wondering what he was going to say about the incident
The 7x Pro Bowler continued, saying he balled until the pain got to a point where he could no longer endure it.
"I played until it was clear that I could not use my ankle to safely perform my playing responsibilities. On top of that, the pain was extreme. I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, 'What's wrong with you? What's wrong with you?' I told him, 'It's my ankle.' But he knew that."
Sure didn't look like he was in pain when he was prancing around in the end zone, though.
I think he has the right to make his own medical decisions...but the drama wasn't the way to handle it, IMHO.
One heck of a six pack though!! Hee hee!
01-06-2022 03:00 PM
I bet the other side of the story would be so differebt, it wouldn't sound like the same incident. The guy's a bum.
01-06-2022 03:34 PM
@arizona babe wrote:not sure what your post has to do with QVC products though since that is the reason for these forums is to post about products and such not life events
@arizona babe Please enlighten me.....
Which forum area should I have posted this story? Inquiring minds wants to know.
"Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
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