I don’t want to see Antonio Tavaris Brown Sr. on the field this Sunday. I wish I wanted to see him, but he doesn’t deserve it.
It is so hard to pick where to start because there are so many things going through my head. My thoughts are racing through my head faster than AB could ever run. What he is doing right now is disgraceful, embarrassing, dreadful, and cringe worthy. It is so incredibly saddening to watch this happen to such a wonderful player and person. A change is what it is. We’ve seen a change in him.
This is a timeline of dramatic events surrounding AB:
- January of 2017
– Teamed up with Facebook to provide content for them for $244,000.
– AB live streamed the Steelers’ celebration in the locker room, violating the league’s policy, which he was fined $10,000 for doing. During this livestream, Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, was heard using a curse word towards their next opponent, the New England Patriots. He then had to issue a formal apology.
- December 2018
-Fight with Roethlisberger led to him skipping practices until game against the Bengals. AB was benched for that game when the team claimed it was injury related.
- February 2019
-AB thanked Steelers fans and stated that he was moving on.
- March 2019
-Steelers started looking for someone to trade Brown with and Raiders became interested.
-Raiders send 2019 third- and fifth-round pick to Steelers in exchange for Brown.
-Restructure Brown’s contract adding more money leading to negotiating on deal that would pay him $50.13 million for the next three seasons with $30.13 million guaranteed.
- May 2019
-Brown becomes frustrated with new NFL helmet policy preventing him from wearing his old helmet.
-Argues with coaches at OTAs about it.
-Stormed out of practice and attempted to sneak old helmet in even going to the lengths of painting the helmet.
- July and August 2019
-Brown gets frostbite on his feet after receiving cryotherapy without the proper footwear.
-Brown apparently “ghosted” the Raiders during their attempts to contact him.
-Then threatened to never play for the Raiders again if he couldn’t wear his old helmet.
- September 2019
-Brown gets into heated argument with Mike Mayock needing teammates to hold him back.
-Reported that AB threatened to hit Mayock, punted a ball, and yelled, “now fine me for that!”
-Suspension became a rumor.
All of this drama can undoubtedly give someone a headache and I’m almost positive that it has given multiples to John Gruden and Mike Mayock.
Right off the bat, I have some questions:
Why isn’t anyobody talking about his family? Antonio Brown is a father of four. Who wants to see their father talked about in a negative connotation everywhere they look? Who wants to act the way AB’s been acting and let their kids see it all? No father should be acting like this. He is a grown man who is a role model for children all over the world but most importantly, his own children. Complaining about little things is not how you get through life and he should want to teach that to his children.
Now, professionalism. What happened to it? Does everyone seem to have a different definition of what professionalism means? I’ll give it to you right now. Professionalism: n. Professionalism is skill or behavior that goes beyond what an ordinary person would have or behaving in a more formal or business-like manner. That is exactly what AB lacks. AB, what’s going on? Do we not know everything? Is there something going on off the field?
AB was once incredibly highly respected and now he’s hated.
Everything he has done is embarrassing. It’s embarrassing for him, it’s embarrassing for his family. It’s embarrassing for the Raiders. He has ruined relationships (Roethlesburger), fans have fallen out of love with him. It’s actually very disheartening and tragic to watch because we all know how great of a person and player AB can be and somewhere still is.
At this point, it’s just embarrassing. It’s just embarrassing and unacceptable.
The Oakland Raiders need an apology which they received on Friday and as great as it was to see AB apologize and as relieving as it was, I need a larger apology. I want AB to apologize to the Steelers and to Ben Roethlisburger. I want him to apologize to both Steeler and Raider fans. I want him to apologize to John Gruden, to Mike Mayock, and to the whole Raider organization (I know he did today) again.
If this apology starts a new beginning, then so be it and we move on. But if he starts up again, I’m going to need a very large suspension. I actually think that AB should be suspended due to these terrible hiccups that he has caused.
Before this apology, I agreed with Max Kellerman. He believes that AB deserves to get cut. If he doesn’t act up from this day on, then don’t cut him. If he does, it needs to be over.
This is like disciplining a child. When a child doesn’t eat their dinner, the parents threaten to not give them their dessert. That is so comparable to what is happening with AB. He has the nerve to threaten the Raiders saying he may never play for them ever again? They need to give it right back to him and say fine, if you act up again, suspension. Happens again, you’re gone. Cut and we’re getting the $30 million back.
This is not how a proper role model acts. This is not how a legend which he very well may be, acts. Him acting up in Pittsburgh and asking for more money and a better deal doesn’t seem so bad anymore. I mean, he wanted a better deal, made a big deal out of it, and he got it. Why is there a need to continue to bring negative attention towards you with silly, immature problems that could have been prevented?
John Gruden is still fairly new to the coaching job and this is the last thing he needs. John Gruden has stuck by AB’s side throughout all of this and has continued to defend him. Watching John Gruden continue to defend him has frustrated me so much because what Ab is doing is simply and obviously unacceptable and the fact that Gruden and Mayock hadn’t seemed to be on the same page, was even more frustrating.
Mayock was progressively becoming more and more irritated when Gruden continued to sit back and defend and support AB. I get the fact that AB is your player and may very well be your star player (maybe…because we don’t know yet) and you’re excited but there comes a time when the foot needs to be put down and reality needs to be smacked into AB’s head.
AB posted a YouTube video involving a telephone conversation between him and John Gruden revealing Gruden’s calm and collected yet angry and frustrated state. I’m relieved to see that Gruden is in fact frustrated because I couldn’t tell if his support for AB was all for show or not.
AB has disappointed his whole entire organization and something needs to be done. Either AB CALMS. DOWN. Or he just ends up cleaning out another locker.
AB, you are an amazing NFL player. You are a historic NFL player, but this didn’t just start. This started back in 2012 after your first contract extension. You began showing up late for meetings, complaining about lack of offensive action, had problems with Dick LeBeau with you saying that you shouldn’t be touched by the defense during practice, and the list goes on.
To me, that looks like dollar signs changed your attitude and nobody wants that nor ca we have that. I hope that isn’t true but you can’t have people thinking that.
You have caught the most passes in the NFL ever. You are such a joy to watch. You have a smile like no other so bring that smile back on the field this year and start putting more smiles on NFL fans faces again because it’s been some time since you have.
Coach Gruden announced that AB will be playing in the season opener. What bothers me, is that AB has missed practices. He has complained and caused an infinite amount of stress throughout the Raiders organization. There are second and third string receivers who have kept their mouths shut, attended every practice, and grinded everyday yet AB gets to walk right in on opening day. I get the fact that he’s Antonio Brown and he’s a veteran and has a huge contract but that doesn’t sound all that right to me.
If he doesn’t show up, he needs to go because THAT is the last straw. He has not played one game for the Oakland Raiders yet, and drama that could happen over years has happened over the course of months.
AB, show up for Week One. Show up and show off. Show off what you can do as a player because that’s what we like to see. We like to see a happy and healthy AB gaining yards and scoring. You are a great person. You are a great player. This acting out is abnormal and needs to stop now. Forget what has happened and go do what you were born to do. People are frustrated with you but people still have hope in you. This odd time we’re in right now doesn’t have to last forever because we all want to see you back doing what you love and GET BUSINESS BOOMIN AGAIN!
