Antonio Brown Says He Will Not Play In 2022

Former Buccaneers WR Antonio Brown was interviewed during a Fan Controlled Football game and said he is done playing in the NFL.

“Obviously, we live the game, but you can’t play forever,” Brown said. “I think I’m a great player that’s done everything in the game.”

Brown was then asked if he would play in 2022, to which he responded: “Nah, don’t play yourself looking at me to play.”

He had recently posted on social media that he wished to retire as a member of the Steelers after previously saying that he would look to sign with another team once his ankle injury was healed.

Brown tore ligaments in his ankle last season and said it was severe enough that he shouldn’t have been playing, which was the source of his infamous blowup that ended his time in Tampa. 

As for his career, Brown also recently mentioned that he hopes to revive it at some point. 

“I’m a player first,” AB said. “I couldn’t even be in this position without being a football player. So I never want to take that for granted. I would love to continue my career. I got a lot of game left in me.”

Brown, 33, is a former sixth-round pick of the Steelers back in 2010. He was in the third year of his five-year, $72.71 million contract when the Steelers traded him to the Raiders in March of 2019. 

The Raiders later signed Brown to a new contract worth $50.125 million and including $30.125 million guaranteed. However, Oakland made the decision to release Brown before the start of the season and he later signed a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with the Patriots.

Brown lasted just 11 days in New England. The Buccaneers signed him to a one-year deal worth up to $2.5 million in 2020 and re-signed him to another one-year extension for 2021. The Buccaneers waived him after a sideline incident with HC Bruce Arians. 

In 2021, Brown appeared in seven games and recorded 42 receptions for 545 yards (13.3 YPC) and four touchdowns.