Antonio Brown left the Buccaneers sideline in a tantrum on Sunday during Tampa Bay’s Week 17 game against the New York Jets, and the details that followed his wildly bizarre exit, at least according to one account, are almost more difficult to imagine.
Brown, as reported by FOX Sports commentator Chris Meyers, who cited the MetLife Stadium security, ran out of the stadium shirtless and into a police car. Brown then proceeded to have said police car escort him to the airport where he took a flight by himself.
Wait … what?
FOX Sports’ Jennifer Hale confirmed that Brown was taken to the airport by police escort, but didn’t portray it as Brown ran directly into a police car. NFL analyst Peter Schrager also confirmed that Brown “went to the airport,” but not with the Buccaneers. ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported that Brown was not flying home with the team, as well.
Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians shared that Brown’s tenure in Tampa Bay was over following Sunday’s incident.
What led to the events, you may ask? Arians told NFL insider Jay Glazer that he tried to insert Brown into the game Sunday but the wideout wouldn’t enter the contest. Arians, after being denied by Brown a second time, then told the wideout to leave, according to Glazer.
The Buccaneers receiver proceeded to take off his jersey and pads, then his under shirt and gloves and ran off the field. Brown held up the peace sign as he ran through the end zone, again, with the game being played, and then entered the tunnel.
