Bucs' Antonio Brown on Knee Injury: 'The Arrow Is Pointing Up' for Super Bowl 55

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured ColumnistFebruary 3, 2021

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown warms up before the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Brett Duke)

Brett Duke/Associated Press

Antonio Brown missed the NFC Championship Game with a knee injury, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver is hoping to be back in time for the Super Bowl.

"The arrow is pointing up as the week continues to unfold," he told reporters Wednesday.

Brown touched on a number of other topics during his media availability:

Greg Auman @gregauman
Antonio Brown reiterates that he's "extremely grateful" to have the chance to be preparing for a Super Bowl with his Bucs teammates.

Greg Auman @gregauman
Antonio Brown continues to say he would be doing a "disservice" to his teammates to talk about anything but the Super Bowl ahead. Not talking about whether he wants to return in 2021, the process that led to his return, just the game ahead.

Greg Auman @gregauman
"I want my legacy to be sixth-round kid from Central Michigan that never gave up, earned everything he got, persevered through every adversity, a guy who had the will of a champion. Everything I've been through prepared me for where I'm at in my life right now."

His attempt to craft a narrative about overcoming adversity didn't sit well with everyone, however:

Lindsay Jones @bylindsayhjones
I will add to this: What Antonio Brown has been through over the last year and a half was of his own doing, he hasn't taken accountability for it. He was given many chances in his media session today to do so, and didn't.

Brown largely was out of the NFL in 2019 after he was cut by the New England Patriots. One week before he was released, his former trainer filed a federal lawsuit in which she said he sexually assaulted her on three different occasions in 2017 and 2018. Another woman said he made unwanted sexual advances toward her and later sent her threatening text messages after she told her story to Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated.

In June, he pleaded no contest to felony burglary with battery and two other misdemeanor charges. He avoided jail as a part of his plea agreement. The NFL suspended him for the first eight games of this season, citing violations of its personal-conduct policy related to his arrest and the second woman's accusations.

The 32-year-old signed with Tampa in October, catching 45 passes for 483 yards and four touchdowns while giving Tom Brady another weapon in an already-stacked passing game that includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette.

His inclusion in the Super Bowl would be a bonus for Tampa as they try to keep pace with Patrick Mahomes and a dangerous Kansas City Chiefs offense. But the Bucs are covered if Brown misses the contest.

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