Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown returned to action for the first time since he was suspended for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols by misrepresenting his vaccination status.
After the Bucs comfortable win over the Carolina Panthers, Brown spoke to reporters for the first time since his suspension. Unsurprisingly, he was asked about the circumstances that led to his multi-game absence, but he wasn’t exactly enthusiastic to answer.
Brown initially responded by saying “next question”, but after a second reporter asked him a question pertaining to his suspension, the Buccaneers wide receiver unloaded.
“I don’t want to talk about that. You guys are all drama. It’s all about football. We’re going to talk about Carolina or I don’t want to talk to you,” Brown said, via The Athletic’s Greg Auman.
“I’m just here to do my job. I can’t control what people write, how people try to frame me, people try to bring me down. Life is about obstacles and persevering and doing what’s right … I’m standing before you guys grateful, humble, thankful.”
Brown was then asked a question about his ankle injury that kept him out for a number of games earlier in the year. He answered by turning the conversation back to his suspension.
“It’s a lot of drama you guys create, a lot of drama people create who want stuff from me,” the Buccaneers wideout accused. “That’s a part of life, a part of being in the position. I can’t control what people want from me, what people write about me.”
Bucs’ Antonio Brown, asked in postgame about his suspension: “I don’t want to talk about that. You guys are all drama. It’s all about football. We’re going to talk about Carolina or I don’t want to talk to you.”
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 26, 2021
Antonio Brown: “I’m just here to do my job. I can’t control what people write, how people try to frame me, people try to bring me down. Life is about obstacles and persevering and doing what’s right … I’m standing before you guys grateful, humble, thankful.”
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 26, 2021
Asked about his injury, Antonio Brown goes back to suspension: “It’s a lot of drama you guys create, a lot of drama people create who want stuff from me. That’s a part of life, a part of being in the position. I can’t control what people want from me, what people write about me.”
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 26, 2021
Brown’s tirade isn’t surprising. In the middle of his suspension, he took to social media to fire back at NFL insider Mike Florio and tell his doubters to “put some respect on my name.”
Brown’s off-the-field actions have caused quite a bit of drama over the years, but he continues to produce when he’s on the field. On Sunday, he hauled in 10 catches for 101 yards.
So long as he keeps performing well from a football standpoint, the Buccaneers seem to be fine with looking past his other transgressions.
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