Antonio Brown just talked about his future in the NFL. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver appeared on a Fan Controlled Football broadcast and said that he won’t play in the NFL this upcoming season. He also hinted that his football career is coming to an end.
“Obviously we live the game, but you can’t play forever,” Brown told Charly Arnolt when asked if football remains a priority for him, per CBS Sports. “I think I’m a great player that’s done everything in the game.” And when Arnolt asked Brown if he’ll be back on an NFL field in 2022, Brown said it’s not going to happen. “Nah,” Brown answered, “don’t play yourself looking (for) me to play.”
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The last time Brown as on the field was late in the 2021 season when he left the Buccaneers during a game against the New York Jets. The focus for Brown is now his projects outside of football. “I do what I want,” he said. “Obviously I’m a 12-year veteran, one of the best players of all time, and my job is to live. Life is about living. We all gonna die … I’m a rapper, I do shows, I’m an independent businessman. Business booming.”
Even if Brown wanted to play this upcoming season, it’s not clear which teams would pursue him based on his recent history. Since 2019, Brown has spent time with three different teams after spending nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since leaving the Steelers, Brown has had a hard time staying with the team due to his on and off-the-field antics. He only played one game for the New England Patriots and never played a game for the Oakland Raiders (now Las Vegas Raiders). He spent nearly two seasons with the Buccaneers and helped them win a title in 2020. But after leaving the team due to a dispute with then-head coach Bruce Arians, Brown’s NFL career could be over.
For his career, Brown caught 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 88 total touchdowns. Along with being a Super Bowl champion, Brown was selected to the All-Pro team five times, the Pro Bowl seven times and the 2010s All-Decade Team. Brown also led the NFL in receiving yards and receptions twice.
