Two weeks after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released Antonio Brown, the wide receiver is refuting claims that he is dealing with mental health issues.
In an upcoming episode of the “I Am Athlete” podcast, which will be released on Monday (Jan. 24), Brown insisted that he was not “crazy.”
“Why every time something happens bad, or how someone reacts, ‘Aw, he’s crazy, there’s something wrong with his mental health?’” he said in the teaser. “There’s nothing wrong with my mental health. Someone told me to get the fuck out of here. I’m not passive-aggressive.”
Brown referred to his altercation with Bucs head coach Bruce Arians, who allegedly told the star football player to play in the Jan. 2 game against the New York Jets — although he had an ankle injury. “An NFL Super Bowl team coach told a guy on the team who’s playing hurt ‘get the fuck out of here,’” Brown emphasized.
As REVOLT previously reported, on Jan. 2, Brown took off his jersey, undershirt and pads and threw his shirt and gloves into the stands during the third quarter of the game. He ran across the end zone while his teammates and the Jets were on the field. The wide receiver then waved to fans as he went to the locker room.
Following the game, Arians told reporters that Brown was “no longer a Buc.” Brown and his attorney alleged that the team was involved in a “cover up” over his exit. He said that he was fired for refusing to play on his injured ankle that required surgery.
A few days later, the Bucs officially released Brown from the team and refuted claims that he was hurt. “We have attempted, multiple times throughout this week, to schedule an evaluation by an outside orthopedic specialist, yet Antonio has not complied,” the team said. “Maintaining the health and wellness of our players is of the utmost importance to our organization.”