Arians: Antonio Brown Was 'Fantastic' in Bucs Workout, Will Be Ready for Week 9
October 28, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told reporters Wednesday that recently acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown "looks fantastic" after his first day participating in team activities.
"He looks fantastic," Arians said, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. "I think we had really good conversations today...he and I. He was in the meetings and everything. And he's working with Anthony Piroli and the strength staff. He looks in great shape. Yeah, ready to go next week."
As Laine noted, Brown is serving an eight-game suspension due to multiple violations of the league's personal conduct policy. Ken Belson of the New York Times outlined the concerns after the league announced its suspension decision in late July:
"The N.F.L. on Friday suspended wide receiver Antonio Brown for eight regular-season games for his role in a January dispute with a moving company employee, for which he pleaded no contest to burglary and battery charges and received two years probation. Brown was also penalized for sending threatening texts to a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct. The suspension was first reported by The Washington Post and was confirmed in a statement by the league.
"Brown still faces an investigation into accusations that he sexually assaulted his former trainer in 2017 and 2018. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in South Florida, where Brown has a home, remains open and the receiver could still face additional penalties pending its outcome. He has denied the accusations of sexual assault."
Brown is barred from practicing with the team but can attend meetings and work with the Bucs' strength and conditioning staff. On that front, he got good marks from his coach.
"It went real well. He and I had a good conversation this morning," Arians added. "He'll be ready to go next week and in good shape."
The 5-2 Bucs' next game will be against the New York Giants on Monday. They'll next play host to the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 9, and Brown will be eligible to return on that date. He can begin practicing with the team after the Giants game.
The 5'10", 185-pound Brown has played in the NFL for 10 seasons, primarily with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He averaged 114 catches, 1,524 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns per year from 2014-18, per Pro Football Reference. The Steelers' sixth-round pick out of Central Michigan has made seven Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams.