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Week 8 has arrived in the NFL and Antonio Brown still doesn't have a team. Those who saw the wide receiver's explosive meltdown near the end of the season last year shouldn't be surprised.
However, others may be wondering why the incident hasn't blown over in the eyes of at least one NFL team. Here's a look at why teams have rejected the wide receiver's candidacy.
The first issue is his level of productivity, or lack thereof, in recent years. The wide receiver is four seasons removed from his last 1000-yard campaign. His most recent came in 2018 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2019, he earned just 56 yards and a touchdown. In 2020, he earned 483 yards and four touchdowns. Things didn't improve much in 2021, as he earned 545 yards and four touchdowns in that season.
While those marks could give an argument that he would have value at some level on an NFL roster, those potential yards would come with some side effects. Based on behavior exhibited by the wide receiver over his last five years in the league, teams would also be shouldering a likely headache in the locker room.
Brown has been one of the loudest players on each team he's been on and is seen as a distraction across the NFL. While he was with the Steelers, he posted videos on social media during team meetings.
He was a bounce click with the Raiders and with the Patriots. With the Buccaneers, while he turned in two decent years, his tenure there also ended in fireworks.
Put simply, teams don't believe the risk outweighs the reward. Lastly, at 34 years old, even if his attitude is in check, his body might not be. If he gets signed for a job and promptly gets injured, the team will have wasted time getting him up to speed and making room for him on the roster.
Antonio Brown's positives
Antonio Brown's history of drama and potential for injury is a strong turnoff for teams. That said, if he mounts a campaign that corrects his image, teams might be able to see the positives that lie underneath the risks. In the NFL, productivity is king and the wide receiver has plenty to put on a resume.
From 2010 until 2018, Brown earned at least 1,100 yards every season except for two. He's also earned 10 touchdowns four times. In 2020, with four starts, he earned 483 yards, meaning he has a chance to be a 1000-yard receiver if his body holds up.
With three starts in 2021, he earned 545 yards and four touchdowns, meaning that he was trending up before the explosive breakup with the Buccaneers. Will Antonio Brown ever be given another chance in the NFL?
