We've now heard speculation citing a vastly different reason behind Antonio Brown's in-game tantrum and ensuing exit from Sunday's game at MetLife Stadium.
There have been reports from Brown's camp that the receiver was injured and that was why he didn't want to re-enter the game for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We've also heard -- and admittedly the believably of sources tends to vary -- that Brown was unhappy with the amount of targets from Tom Brady during the Week 17 game and that's why he grew angry.
Well, media personality Pat McAfee shared that he heard, citing sources, how Brown popped his top due to being infuriated with how the team handled his three-game suspension from the league. Brown was suspended for falsifying a COVID-19 vaccination card.
"I think what happened during the entire fake vaccination situation is Antonio Brown, and this was somebody not directly related to this situation but feels as if they were in a position to speak so I just have to respect their thing," McAfee said Monday.
"Antonio Brown felt as if he did not get as much respect or backing from the Bucs during the suspension era. So that (ticketed) him off," McAfee continued. "And then he (McAfree's source) said as soon as he came back after that, it was a completely different relationship between the team and AB."
Ironically, if that happens to be the source of Brown's reasoning, it doesn't have a leg to stand on. It's factually incorrect.
Arians completely changed his tune to support Brown after the receiver's suspension. Arians, after all, went from having a zero-tolerance policy to calling Brown a "model citizen" during his time in Tampa Bay. The head coach then was dragged for doing so while acknowledging that he didn't care what others thought about it.
It just doesn't make sense.
There were additional reports Tuesday further indicating Brown's injury and even speculating that he shouldn't have stepped on the field Sunday. Brown reportedly started to express his discontent during halftime before running off the Tampa Bay sideline and through the tunnel with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Arians said immediately after the game that Brown was no longer a member of the team. The Buccaneers haven't yet released Brown, though, the expectation is that they will do so when they figure how to proceed with the league.
