NFL fans haven’t seen Antonio Brown on a football field since Jan. 2, 2022, when he hauled in three passes for 26 yards in his final game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But his stats weren’t the main takeaway. Millions witnessed Brown suddenly remove his jersey, shoulder pads, and other football equipment and ditch his team mid-game on the sidelines. As mentioned, he’d never play another NFL game.
Plenty of controversy followed, including trying to determine how and why Brown’s sudden outburst occurred. Coach Bruce Arians suggested he tried to ask Brown to enter the game, but he reportedly refused. Meanwhile, Brown claimed he had broken bones in his ankle and should not have been playing in the first place. The Buccaneers would later release the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver four days later.
A full year after the incident, Brown retired from professional football at the age of 34. A month later, on April 28, Brown unretired. He remains a free agent, where any NFL team can sign him, and his agent even recently suggested there was legitimate interest in his client.
But for now, Brown planned to suit up for the Albany Empire, an Arena Football League team of which he recently joined the ownership group of. He was expected to make his first in-game appearance on Saturday, but Brown never touched the field.
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According to WNYT, Brown’s sports physical paperwork never got turned in on time, which caused the four-time All-Pro to stay sidelined. Yet, even this comes with controversy, as the AFL commissioner stated any owner of a team could play without needing a physical. For whatever reason, Brown didn’t see a snap.
However, those holding out hope to see the former star receiver return to the gridiron will eventually be able to see Brown return to the field. He says it’s only a matter of time.
“Stay tuned, AB’s coming. There’s proper procedures you’ve got to do to play football. You’ve got to pass the coach, the commissioner. You’ve got to be in physical condition. You can’t just pop up, so I’ve got to get my feet wet. We’ve got to get the proper equipment. We’ve got to do the right thing. But I am going to be playing. You didn’t lie. Everything is going to fall in place.”
Antonio Brown on his football future
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