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Antonio Brown on Thursday released text messages between himself and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians as well as correspondence with Tom Brady’s longtime trainer Alex Guerrero.
Brown posted the messages days after he bailed on the Buccaneers in the middle of their game against the New York Jets on Sunday. The texts with Arians appeared to have come in the days leading up to the Week 17 game.
"This is BA. Make sure your ready to go tomorrow. We ARE NOT resting for the playoffs," one Arians text to Brown allegedly read on Dec. 30.
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Antonio Brown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 20, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Brown responded on Dec. 31: "I’m all in coach really (can’t) get to full speed I wanna win wanna be there if I wake up tomorrow feel better I’ll be ready kinda rolled it outside on 2pt play I want what’s best for team (let me know) when you free I’ll call u."
To that message, Arians responded: "Come see me (in) the morning. We’ll talk it out. Definitely want you with us in case you’re ready."
Brown appeared to have made his case to Arians about not being at full health. He was on the injury report in the days leading up to Tampa Bay’s game. He had three catches for 26 yards in the game and had 10 catches for 101 yards in Week 16.
Brown also hit out on Brady’s trainer Guerrero, alleging Guerrero has yet to pay back the money Brown gave him for working out. The conversation appeared to take place on Christmas Eve.
"Hey Ag if we not going to work any more that’s fine (let me know) about the 100k I paid you only fair get back half my money (let me know) how to proceed," Brown’s message read.
Guerrero responded: "Good morning AB. I appreciate you reaching out to me. I completely understand that you want to go in a different direction. Thank you for the opportunity to work together. You are a wonderful person. I hope for your continued success on and off the field. Please let me know where you want me to send the balance. Big hugs my friend."
The wide receiver released a lengthy statement on Wednesday night, defending his actions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown wipes his face as he leaves the field after throwing his equipment into the stands while his team is on offense during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media via AP)
ANTONIO BROWN BLAMES BUCS COACH FOR SHIRTLESS EXIT, CLAIMS ANKLE INJURY: ’I DIDN’T QUIT’
"Because of my commitment to the game, I relented to pressure directly from my coach to play injured. Despite the pain, I suited up, the staff injected me with what I now know was a powerful and sometimes dangerous painkiller that the NFLPA has warned against using, and I gave it my all for the team. I played until it was clear that I could not sue my ankle to safely perform my playing responsibilities. On top of that, the pain was extreme," Brown said in a statement through his lawyer. "I took a seat on the sideline and my coach came up to me, very upset, and shouted, ‘What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with you?’ I told him, ‘It’s my ankle.’ But he knew that. It was well-documented and we had discussed it. He then ordered me to get on the field. I said, ‘Coach I can’t.’ He didn’t call for medical attention. Instead, he shouted at me, ‘YOU’RE DONE!’ while he ran his finger across his throat. Coach was telling me that if I didn’t play hurt, then I was done with the Bucs.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians looks on before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium Jan. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
"I didn’t quit. I was cut. I didn’t walk away from my brothers. I was thrown out. Being fired on the sideline for having a painful injury was bad enough. Then came their ‘spin’. Coach denied on national television that he knew about my ankle. That’s 100% inaccurate. Not only did he know I missed several games with the injury, he and I exchanged tests days before the game where he clearly acknowledged my injury. He obviously knew I was on the injury list. And the GM (Jason Licht) acknowledged after the game in text messages to my camp that I did tell coach about my ankle pain on Sunday."
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Brown maintains he was "cut first" then he left. He also said he had an MRI on his ankle on Monday and it showed he had "broken bone fragments stuck in my ankle, the ligament torn from the bone, and cartilage loss, which are beyond painful."
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