Current free agent and seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Brown has not played in the NFL since he lost his cool on the sidelines during a game between his former Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and the New York Jets back in early January.
The primary reason Brown remains a free agent is his attitude and what many view to be some major personal issues he’s dealing with off the field.
Back in May of 2021, Brown was on the receiving end of a civil lawsuit from a truck driver who claimed that the then-Buccaneers receiver assaulted him a year prior. Brown’s legal team denied the claim, alleging that the individual was looking to take advantage of the receiver’s stardom.
Fast forward roughly 18 months, and the embattled free agent has been ordered to pay the man $1.2 million by a jury.
“A Broward County jury awarded the damages to Anton Tumanov earlier this month, according to court records … after Brown failed to respond or show up to hearings in the case.
Per court docs, the jury found Brown liable for $407,000 for Tumanov’s past and future medical expenses … as well as $793,000 for past and future pain and suffering.”
TMZ Sports report on Antonio Brown verdict
Back in January of 2020, Brown was involved in a standoff with authorities in Hollywood, Florida. At that point, there were no concrete reports about what happened. Since then, evidence have come out that Brown got into a confrontation with a truck driver outside of his Hollywood home. It’s just the latest example in a laundry list of issues for Brown.
Related: Tom Brady once again on receiving end of Antonio Brown criticism
Antonio Brown and potential future in the NFL
It’s looking more and more like Brown has played his final game in the league. Since being released by the Buccaneers back in January, he’s taken to attacking former teammate Tom Brady and head coach Bruce Arians on a near never-ending loop.
Brown, 34, has also been involved in a ton of off-field incidents that led to his departure from the then-Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots earlier in his career. That included allegations of sexual assault being leveled in the troubled receiver’s direction.
While Brown is still campaigning for a job in the NFL, no team has shown any real interest. It’s a sad reality given just how dominant he was at one point in his playing career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Antonio Brown stats (2013-18): 685 receptions, 9,145 yards, 67 TD, 66.9% catch rate
As for this most-recent case, Brown cut a deal with prosecutors back in 2020, agreeing to probation after being hit with three criminal charges.