Saints' Emmanuel Sanders: Antonio Brown Deserves Chance in NFL with 'Right Team'

Antonio Brown's future in the NFL remains uncertain. But former Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Emmanuel Sanders believes Brown deserves another shot.  

The New Orleans Saints wideout appeared on Speak For Yourself on Thursday, emphasizing several times that signing Brown would be a good addition for "the right team":

There's never been much doubt about Brown's ability to produce on the field. The 31-year-old has six seasons with 100 or more receptions, seven seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards and four seasons with double-digit touchdowns.

In his last full season with the Steelers in 2018, he caught 104 passes for 1,297 yards and 15 touchdowns. Elite production. 

It's the other issues that accompany Brown that will worry NFL teams. 

There's the fact that he forced his way out of Pittsburgh and Oakland in the span of one offseason. The accusations of rape and sexual misconduct made against him. His Twitter tirades last season after he was cut by the New England Patriots, aimed at the NFL, Pats owner Robert Kraft, former teammate Ben Roethlisberger and others. And his January arrest on charges of burglary with assault or battery, burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and criminal mischief. 

His unresolved legal issues alone make it unlikely he'll be signed anytime soon. Add in everything else—and the very likely possibility that the NFL would immediately suspend him if he were to sign—and Brown's chances of playing for an NFL team in 2020 seem slim to none. It's a potential distraction and public relations nightmare that teams can't be blamed for avoiding. 

Sanders said Thursday that "we all need second chances," and he's not wrong. Given Brown's past year, however, many NFL teams may feel that signing him would be more akin to giving him a third, fourth or fifth chance.