If I were an NFL GM and had the chance to sign Brown, I’d pass.
Is Antonio Brown hurting himself? The short answer is yes!
His antics are well-known, including throwing furniture off of a 14-story balcony (almost hitting a toddler) and driving 100+ miles-per-hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone. Those are Brown’s off-the-field antics. On-the-field, Brown alienates management and has become a polarizing figure in the locker room.
But, of course, there are positives, too, the things that made Brown an NFL star. He accumulated 11 thousand yards in nine seasons in Pittsburgh, breaking the 1000-yard mark in seven of those years. For those exploits (and more), Brown was named a 4-time member of the NFL All-Pro team.
Put both scenarios together, though, and you have Antonio Brown as bridge-burner AND touchdown-maker. The question now is whether the latter is worth having to experience the former.
Courtesy: Fox News
In Pittsburgh, the answer was no, especially when the long-time and positive relationship between Brown and Ben Roethlisberger soured. That devolution put an end to what had been one of the NFL’s most productive QB-WR tandems.
The relationship when south when Brown complained about not getting the ball enough. Roethlisberger dissed Brown on his radio show, and things cracked during an argument at practice.
Brown didn’t play in Week 17 game last year. The Steelers lost the game, missed the playoffs as a result, and Brown was soon on his way to the West Coast.
Since arriving in Oakland, the self-proclaimed “Mr. Big Chest” hasn’t been a perfect teammate. He was frostbitten from not wearing proper wrong footwear in a cryotherapy machine. But that story pales in comparison to what has been getting daily news coverage–wearing a Schutt AiR Advantage helmet that’s disallowed by the NFL.
Courtesy: Twitter and SFGate
Brown responded by spray painting his old helmet to look like the replacement helmet. When caught, Brown filed a grievance with the NFL. He also threatened to retire if the NFL said no to his helmet.
While all of this is happening, let’s make it clear: Brown is one of ‘the lucky ones’ in today’s NFL. He signed a 3- year, $50 million contract extension. But Brown’s behavior says the NFL is lucky to have his services.
What Brown doesn’t seem to get is that he is becoming a LESS valuable player–a liability because of his personal behavior. And, all the while, Brown is getting older, which naturally reduces his market value.
The problem with Brown is that you NEVER know what’s coming next. What might this man say and/or do to alienate management and put himself above team? You know something is coming–it always does–but you don’t know what or when,
If I were an NFL GM, I wouldn’t gamble on Antonio Brown.
