Antonio Brown’s 2019 season originally was supposed to see the star wide receiver lead the charge in trying to restore glory to a once-great franchise.
Now, Brown is just another cog in the wheel.
Brown’s tenure in Oakland never really got off the ground, and the Raiders ultimately decided to cut their losses with the seven-time Pro Bowl selection Saturday. Enter the New England Patriots, who reportedly signed Brown shortly after his release.
The 31-year-old was ineligible to suit up for his new team Sunday night, but his absence wasn’t felt. The Patriots ran over the Pittsburgh Steelers to the tune of a 30-point shellacking at Gillette Stadium, which saw Tom Brady spread the wealth among his plethora of weapons. New England’s current offensive personnel clearly is capable of lighting it up, so the addition of Brown will just be gravy.
While this, in theory, should help alleviate the pressure and expectations surrounding Brown in Foxboro, Skip Bayless isn’t sure if AB will be able to deal with being just another face in the crowd.
This Patriots tenure could make or break Brown. If he completely squanders the opportunity and acts out like he did in Pittsburgh and Oakland, Brown’s reputation might become damaged beyond the point of repair. Conversely, the star wideout has the chance to completely reshape his image in New England all while reaching a level of success he’s yet to achieve.
We’ll likely receive our first look at the AB-Patriots experiment this Sunday when New England visits the Miami Dolphins for a Week 2 showdown.
