6:05 PM
Antonio Brown had a lot to say Friday about everything from how the Buccaneers handled his ankle injury last Sunday to his relationship with Tom Brady not being genuine.
Brown said a friend is someone who has your back on the "Full Send" show Friday. Not everyone in sports will be your friend. Why is Tom Brady my friend? I'm a good football player. He wants me to play football. There are different meanings to friendship.
In the past, Brown had said that Brady was a "big brother" and that he was a "role model" for Brady.
Brown said on "Tapped In Daily" that he can't expect anyone to be his friend in football. The game is football, but our business is winning. Both Tom Brady and I have similarities with winners. We like to win. We like to compete. We want to be the best. We got that in common. That's what makes me want to be around him, that's what makes us play together, that brings out greatness.
Despite Brown's troubled history, Brady has vouched for him on multiple occasions. Brown was placed on felony probation and ordered to undergo anger management after pleading no contest to charges of assault on a moving truck driver and breaking and entering.
We all love him. We care a lot about him. We want to see him at his best. Brady said that it wouldn't be with the team. "I think everyone should be very compassionate and sympathetic towards the difficult things that are happening."
Brown believed that Brady was responsible for him not getting the contract he deserved. Brown signed a one-year deal worth up to $6.25 million. It had a guaranteed $3.1 million and a $2 million signing bonus.
Brown called Brady the general manager, which is held by Licht. Brown and his agent tried to get his remaining $2 million in incentives guaranteed, but the request was denied. Brown said that Brady negotiated the contract.
Brown said that he was trying to earn a million dollars to make some type of catches while he was out here. I shouldn't be playing on those types of deals when I won the Super Bowl with you.
People like to spend time with me but they don't see my value in that. I would think I would deserve more than being worried about winning another Super Bowl, because I would think I would deserve more than the work and intangibles that come with it.
Brown's frustration stems from what he felt was an unfair punishment when an NFL investigation determined that he and two other teammates produced fake COVID-19 vaccination cards. He doesn't agree with how the media has portrayed him, saying, "You guys is all about drama."
"How I've been treated, how I continue to be treated, how I continue to be made upon as a bad guy, but I'm a great guy," Brown said on the show. I just won a Super Bowl and I'm an American hero.
I got 100 yards on half an ankle after taking a COVID suspension without evidence and information that was presented correctly. No one is talking about the great things I've been able to do. I've been kicked off teams, written bad about, bad statements, created bad stories, and no matter what, I continue to work hard.
I'm a great guy, but America loves its bad guys. I just won a Super Bowl, I'm an American hero, I persevered through a lot. Antonio Brown.
How does Brown remember the events of Sunday, when he took off his jersey, threw his gloves and undershirt into the stands, ran into the end zone, and did jumping jacks, leaving the game in the third quarter while both teams were on the field playing?
The coach told them to get out of here. I'm like, 'You guys too!' I'm taking off your logo, I'm not wearing it anymore. Brown said he threw it. Imagine you hear 60,000 people say, 'Yeah,AB!' I got so excited. I got too sexy for my clothes, but I started giving them what they wanted. They want gloves and shirts.
How could you treat someone who can't work? You just cut them off? Is this a joke now?
Brady publicly vouched for Brown and kept him on the team despite his three-game suspension, but the coach said there was never a conversation with Brown about his ankle during the game. He said he never told him he was too hurt to continue.
During the week, Brown posted screen shots of the conversation that he and Arians had in which they discussed his ankle. After missing practice on Thursday and Friday, Brown was on the injury report, but he was cleared to practice on Saturday. Brown said he was too hurt to play.
It's about integrity. Players have rights if you have a player. You have a right to tell the coach that you can't go. "If it made the coach irrational or emotional, I can't do my job."
After he undergoes ankle surgery, Brown wants to continue playing football.
I'm going to play football next season. What have I been able to do on a hurt ankle? Brown said something. Four years have passed since I was able to be in this situation where I could be in good health and a good team that really has my back. These guys have been treating me differently than I am and I've been able to accept that role out of respect. I'm looking forward to getting my ankle cleaned up, I'm looking forward to my career resurgence. I'm excited about a restart next year and I'm looking forward to the opportunities that the NFL has for me.
