It wouldn’t be a day in the NFL without an Antonio Brown story. Although, thankfully this particular one isn’t filled with any drama.
Now that he’s finally been released from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, AB is expected to undergo ankle surgery. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting the surgery date is preliminarily set for January 18. Rap adds that the date is subject to change, based on insurance complications and other logistics.
At the very least, this confirms what Brown was trying to tell us all along. That he was in fact injured, probably too much to be pushing it against the New York Jets and likely should have been on the sidelines instead of being told to enter the game.
Brown reportedly took a shot of Toradol, a pain-killer NFL players often take to try and work through the pain on gameday.
Dr. Martin O’Malley will perform the surgery.
Antonio Brown’s surgery date set, does that change his status?
It remains to be seen whether Brown will receive another opportunity in the NFL. Obviously with this surgery scheduled just over a week away, if he gets another chance, it won’t be this season.
Many don’t anticipate Brown to be highly sought-after (he went unclaimed on waivers), but all it takes is one team to think they are one piece away, as the Buccaneers did when bringing him in. His latest outbursts, both on and off the field haven’t helped either.
At the same time, everyone now sees that AB was indeed likely injured which could at least buy him some leeway. Sure, acting the way he did wasn’t good in any sense, but the Bucs were in the wrong as well, as much as they’ve tried to squash that idea.
Brown will be 34 years old when Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season kicks off.
