Antonio Brown, who seemed on the verge of a comeback for the 2020 season, announced on Monday that he is retiring from the NFL.
NFL star Antonio Brown announces he is retiring
Multiple NFL teams had expressed interest in Brown this offseason, despite facing a multi-game suspension for a series of off-field issues in 2019. Instead, the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver plans to step away from football.
The 32-year-old receiver was under investigation by the NFL for two separate allegations of sexual misconduct and also expected to receive discipline after pleading no contest on battery charges for an incident earlier this year.
However, despite attracting attention from the Seattle Seahawks, Brown seems to be ready to step away from the NFL following a 10-year career.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Brown has threatened retirement or indicated he is quitting football. So, the chance remains that he changes his mind or later deletes the tweets and then expresses his desire to play again.
If this is the end of Brown’s career, though, a disastrous 2019 season will overshadow a Hall of Fame-caliber career from one of the most gifted receivers in recent memory.
Antonio Brown’s stats prove he is a Hall of Famer
Before Antonio Brown’s downward spiral this past year led to him being released by the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots, he was destined for a future spot in Canton, Ohio. While his reputation might hurt his chances of making it in, Brown’s resume speaks for itself.
Brown posted six consecutive seasons with 1,200-plus receiving yards, 100-plus receptions and nine-plus touchdowns. Even more impressive, he recorded 9,145 total receiving yards over that stretch and led the NFL in receptions (twice), yards (twice) and touchdowns (once) in individual seasons.
He was named a member to the All-Decade Team for the 2010s, earning first-team All-Pro honors in four seasons during his career.
If this is the end for the former sixth-round pick, he retires with 841 receptions, 11,263 receiving yards and 80 total touchdowns in his career. He’ll also step away with the fifth-best mark for average yards per game (86) in NFL history.