Tom Brady Had Nothing to Do with Antonio Brown's Bucs Contract, Says Arians

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians downplayed the level of involvement Tom Brady had in the team's decision to sign Antonio Brown.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Brown is receiving a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million.

Following Tampa Bay's 45-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Arians discussed the move with reporters:

"I think he's matured, and I believe in second chances. Everybody wants to say that Tom picked him. Tom didn't have anything to do with it. This was something Jason and I had been talking [about] for a couple weeks, ever since the injuries to our other guys. When the time was right, would we see if we could pull the trigger and fit him in to what we want to get done? And we'll see. If Antonio does what I think he's gonna do, I think he's gonna be fine."

Arians' comments are seemingly at odds with what he said and what was reported earlier in the year.

He said during a March appearance on CBS Sports Network's Tiki and Tierney (via Jenna Laine of ESPN) that a move for Brown was "not gonna happen." He added that the star receiver was "not a fit in our locker room."

ESPN's Dianna Russini followed up in June to report the Bucs still weren't interested in Brown.

A March report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport may have provided the best insight into the situation. Rapoport said that Arians wasn't infatuated with the idea of reuniting with Brown, whom he coached as the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator in 2010 and 2011. Brady, on the other hand, was in favor.

On Sunday, Brady discussed the Brown signing with reporters, reflecting back on his previous experience with the wideout:

"Well, he's a tremendous football player. I played with him for a brief period of time. So, looking forward to working with him again, see what role he can come in. He’s a very hardworking guy. Again, we’re all going to go out there on the practice field and do the best we can do and we’re going to see how it all fits together. There’s a lot of hard work ahead.”

No matter what Arians said in his press conference, it will be almost impossible to escape the perception that the Brown signing was made to appease Brady.

Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Arians reversed course because of injuries to Tampa Bay's receivers. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller were all listed on the team's Week 7 injury report. According to Glazer, Arians also told Brown that he needed to "be a team player or be gone."

Brown will be eligible to return after Week 8, having been handed an eight-game suspension for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy. He pleaded no-contest to a felony burglary with battery charge and two misdemeanors in June. A delivery truck driver said Brown and his trainer physically assaulted him outside Brown's home in Hollywood, Florida, in January.

The NFL has yet to levy any punishment stemming from a civil suit filed against Brown by a former trainer who said he sexually assaulted her twice in 2017 and raped her in May 2018.