Antonio Brown NFL timeline: Detailed look at WR's off-the-field issues

NFL receiver Antonio Brown looks to be on his way to no longer being a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after another incident. On this occasion the wideout appeared to quit on his team in the third quarter as he took off his uniform and jogged down the tunnel.

Trouble has never been far from Antonio Brown and it has seemingly been his close companion on every team he has played on in the NFL. Although he is an elite talent, issues keep popping up, making it difficult for teams to trust that he will stay on the straight and narrow.

When he signed for Tampa, head coach Bruce Arians said back in October of 2020, that if “He screws up one time, he’s gone". Well, now we wait and see if those words will ring true after Brown's latest antics,

But it is not the first time Brown has been in trouble with teams and has found himself on the outs.

Timeline of Browns off-field antics

His first NFL home, the Steelers

Brown's troubles started back in 2018 after he was benched by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Heading into the final week of the season, the star receiver was given a rest day due to a knee injury. However, details soon emerged that Brown threw a football at his quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. After which, the Steelers named fellow receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, the team MVP, which Brown did not take well.

Just a couple of months later, the Steelers, who drafted Brown, decided to trade the receiver.

Raiders sign Brown to mammoth deal

When news came to light that the Steelers were trading Brown, it did not take long for teams to come calling. One such team was the Las Vegas Raiders, who made Brown one of the highest paid receivers in football. A three-year $50 million deal was signed with $30 million guaranteed.

However, Brown had a falling out with then coach Jon Gruden and Raiders GM Mike Mayock after Brown's odd helmet issue and his bizarre injury from cryotherapy after he failed to wear the right footwear. Brown was also fined for missing team meetings, because of all these issues he was ultimately released without playing a game for the Raiders.

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Patriots sign Brown, release him after one game

The troubled receiver then found his way to New England with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Given the system and the hard-working nature of the Patriots organization, it was thought that if a team could set Brown straight, it would be the New England Patriots.

However, Brown only played one game for the Patriots, (4 rec, 56 yards, 1 TD) after troubling allegations of sexual assault arose, resulting in him being suspended for eight games by the NFL. All of which led to his subsequent release by the Patriots.

Brown finds his way to Tampa

Many thought that after his failed attempt with the Patriots that no team would think about signing Brown. His off-field issues and his unwillingness to follow the rules led to many teams passing on securing his signature, bar one, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers signed Brown in 2020 and the receiver first practiced before Tampa's game against the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 after his suspension ended.

Brown would go on to play eight games (starting in four), amassing 483 yards and four touchdowns as the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl after defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Then came Brown's fake vaccination card incident, after his former professional chef, Steven Ruiz, accused him of trying to obtain a fake vaccination card. The story came out in a powerful interview after Brown allegedly skipped out on paying Ruiz for his services.

Brown was then suspended for three games for "Misrepresenting Vaccine Status". At the time many thought that was it for Brown in Tampa, but Bruce Arians went back on his word and allowed the receiver to return to the team, stating "It's in the best interest of our football team."

Then came the bizarre incident on Sunday. After Brown was seen trying to remove his pads and helmet, Mike Evans, a fellow receiver, attempted to stop Brown but was unsuccessful.

The 33-year-old then took off his singlet, tossed it into the crowd and headed straight down the tunnel and out of Metlife Stadium. Arians said post-game that the receiver was "no longer a Buc," potentially bringing his time with another team and potentially his NFL career to a sour end.

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