Antonio Brown says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired him for having a “painful” ankle injury when he left in the middle of the game: “The trigger was telling me that I’m not allowed to feel pain.”
Last weekend, Antonio Brown made headlines after the wide receiver took off his Tampa Bay Buccaneers jersey and suddenly exited the field. Afterward, the 33-year-old was dropped from the team. However, he’s coming forward with more information about the incident.
In a statement, the baller says he was receiving pressure “directly from [his] coach” to play despite “having a painful injury.” He also stated that he got a painkiller injection from the staff prior to the game. Brown says he played until the pain became too intense, CNN Sports reports.
Brown claims Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians asked him what was wrong, and Brown explained it was his ankle. Brown says that Arians “ordered” him to get on the field even after he told him about the pain. But Brown told him he couldn’t. After the entire ordeal, Arians told reporters that Brown “is no longer a Buc.”
Arians told reports that Brown never told him about his injury on Monday. “We had a conversation, and he left the field.” When journalists asked Arians if Brown discussed his injury with him during the sideline conversation, Arians responded, “No.”
“I wish him well,” Arians said. “I hope if he needs help, get some … It’s very hard because I do care about him.”
On Monday, Brown got an MRI, which showed he has “broken bone fragments stuck in [his] ankle, the ligament torn from the bone, and cartilage loss, which are beyond painful.” In his statement, he goes on to say that he needs surgery.
“I know we were losing to the Jets and that was frustrating for all of us,” Brown said. “But I could not make football plays on that ankle. Yes, I walked off the field. But there’s a major difference between launching from the line and taking hits, compared to jogging off the field with a rush of emotions going through your mind. I am reflecting on my reaction, but there was a trigger. The trigger was telling me that I’m not allowed to feel pain.”
