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Antonio Brown Calls Buccaneers' Tom Brady 'One of My True Friends' After Release
January 15, 2022
Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown clarified his relationship with the Bucs' Tom Brady after a conversation with the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Brown, who previously questioned his friendship with Brady, described the seven-time Super Bowl champion as a great player, great teammate and the GOAT in an interview with TMZ Sports released Saturday.
"Listen, I love Tom. That's my guy. Don't get it twisted," Brown said. "A lot of words were took out of substance. Tom is one of my true friends in the midst of adversity that was there for me, so don't get it twisted about nothing with Tom Brady."
Brown's tenure with Tampa Bay came to an end after he ripped off his pads and stormed off the field during the third quarter of a Week 17 game against the New York Jets. He was waived a few days later.
The seven-time Pro Bowl selection said he could have handled his frustration better in that moment.
"Obviously I could've handled my emotions better," Brown told TMZ. "But sometimes under anger, you may not handle yourself the right way."
The 33-year-old Miami native went unclaimed on waivers and is now an unrestricted free agent. He didn't sign with any teams ahead of the first round of the playoffs, which kick off Saturday, and told TMZ he may undergo ankle surgery "soon." He previously cited the ankle injury as the source of discontent between himself and Bucs head coach Bruce Arians.
As he awaits another NFL opportunity, the longtime Pittsburgh Steelers star said he's working on a music collaboration with Kanye West.
"We got something brewing. We got a lot of stuff working," Brown told TMZ. "It's coming soon."
While it's possible Brown played his final NFL snap given how he stormed off the field in his final game with the Bucs, high-end talent tends to earn players additional opportunities, and the veteran wideout still has plenty of that.
He recorded 87 catches for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns across 15 regular-season appearances for Tampa Bay. He also hauled in two scores during last season's playoff run to the Super Bowl LV title.
The fact that he wasn't signed before the start of the postseason suggests he'll likely have to wait until the offseason before finding a new football home, especially if ankle surgery is on the horizon, though.