Why Phil Simms Is Convinced Antonio Brown Will Shine With Patriots

Tom Brady having Antonio Brown at his disposal sounds great in theory, but success isn’t determined on paper.

Brown comes to New England with quite a bit of baggage. His departure from Pittsburgh was far from a clean breakup, and his short but memorable stint in Oakland arguably was even messier. But despite what history might suggest, Phil Simms isn’t expecting Brown to follow suit with the Patriots, who reportedly signed the star wide receiver Saturday shortly after his Raiders release.

Foxboro has served as somewhat of a haven for players looking to reshape their image. Randy Moss wasn’t exactly highly thought of upon his arrival in New England, but he quickly flipped that script all while stuffing the stat sheet with the Patriots. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity awaits Brown, but it’s now up to him to make the most of it.

Brown initially will serve as a spectator as he begins his Patriots tenure, but he’ll be eligible to take the field in Week 2 when New England visits the Miami Dolphins.