Antonio Brown's Hall of Fame chances in jeopardy after Albany fiasco, fans unhappy - "Blew it all for petty diva sh*t"

Antonio Brown has entered the next phase of his life, from NFL wide receiver to indoor football team owner. But while his playing days are behind him, he might have put his chances of becoming a Pro Football Hall of Famer in peril.

Reddit user OmarFromtheWire asked in the NFL subreddit:

“Who would’ve had a hall of fame career for sure had he not derailed his own career?”

Someone brought up Brown’s name, leading to these reactions:

It isn’t easy to pick one instance that jeopardized Antonio Brown’s Hall of Fame chances because there are too many to mention. Taking off his uniform and waving to the crowd before storming off the field won’t win him votes.

How about the domestic violence and sexual misconduct cases? He has a laundry list of those incidents that probably washed away his chances of getting into Canton.

Brown also caused tension with every team he played for, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aside from driving for over 100 miles per hour on a suburban road, he also tossed furniture out his apartment window. The latter act nearly hit a 22-month-old child, which he settled with the child’s family in court.

There’s also that tumultuous 2019 offseason with the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers traded him in March, but his training camp antics led to the Raiders releasing him hours before his salary would have been guaranteed.

Even his behavior as Albany Empire team owner isn’t Hall of Fame worthy. The team’s roster and coaching staff became a revolving door since he took over. The team also failed to remit salaries on time, forcing them to play without pay.

The legitimacy of Antonio Brown’s ownership of the Empire is also in question and he also announced his debut as an Albany player but did not suit up.

Antonio Brown became the game’s best receiver for some time

For all the controversies he caused or has been through, there was a period when Brown was a nightmare for opposing defenses.

The sixth-round selection in the 2010 NFL draft was a seven-time Pro Bowler and a First Team All-Pro member from 2014 to 2017.

During those years, he had 1,698, 1,834, 1,284, and 1,533 receiving yards, respectively. The former Central Michigan standout led the league twice in both receptions and receiving yards. Brown also led the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns in 2018. His dominance made him a part of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

Brown earned Super Bowl glory with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he only had 483 yards and four touchdowns in eight games.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame states that players or coaches must have retired for at least five seasons before consideration. Therefore, it remains to be seen if the Selection Committee will nominate Antonio Brown in 2026.