Report: Antonio Brown Agrees to 1-Year Bucs Contract, Reunites with Tom Brady

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Antonio Brown is getting another chance to play in the NFL after reportedly agreeing to a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bucs will give the controversial wide receiver a one-year deal. 

Schefter noted that contract language is still being finalized and Brown has to clear COVID-19 protocols. 

Schefter reported on Oct. 21 that teams were preparing to make an offer to Brown when his eight-game suspension came to an end after Week 8.

If the deal gets done, Brown will be eligible to play for Tampa in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. 

The NFL announced Brown’s eight-game suspension in July:

Brown has been a free agent since being released by the New England Patriots on Sept. 20, 2019. Brown played in one game for the Patriots.

Brown’s release came 10 days after his former trainer, Brittney Taylor, accused him of sexual assault and rape in a federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Florida.

In the lawsuit, Taylor said Brown sexually assaulted her on two different occasions in 2017 and raped her after forcing himself on her in 2018.

It also included a pair of emails Brown sent to Taylor (warning: contains graphic language):

Brown denied Taylor’s allegations in a statement released by his attorney.

On Sept. 16, Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated reported an accusation of sexual misconduct against Brown by a female artist he hired to paint a mural of himself at his home.

“He was flirty with me but I paid him no mind because I was there on business, plus, I had already seen him with multiple girls in the short time I was with him,” the woman told Klemko. “I was about 40 percent done on the second day, and I’m on my knees painting the bottom, and he walks up to me butt-ass naked, with a hand cloth covering his [penis] and starts having a conversation with me.”

She added: “I’ve been tried [by men] a lot of times, so I just kept my cool and kept painting. After that, it all ended abruptly.”

Three days later, Klemko reported the artist’s lawyer sent a letter to the NFL regarding “intimidating texts” Brown sent his client after her accusations against him (warning: offensive language):

Brown agreed to a deal with the Patriots on Sept. 7, the same day he was released by the Oakland Raiders following a series of incidents that included a grievance about the helmet he could wear and a foot injury caused by wearing improper footwear in a cryotherapy machine.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Brown was involved in a shouting argument with Raiders general manager Mike Mayock after he was fined by the team for missing a practice and walkthrough.

Brown played only in the Patriots’ Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins last season. He recorded four receptions, 56 yards and one touchdown.

Rapoport reported on Oct. 6 that Brown filed grievances against the Patriots and Raiders to recoup approximately $40 million in lost salary. 

On Nov. 20, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Brown filed a countersuit against Taylor for defamation and interference with his NFL contracts. 

Prior to Week 17, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Saints brought in Brown for a workout and were doing their due diligence on the controversial wideout, though no deal materialized.

Brown had at least 100 receptions and 1,200 yards in each of his last six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.    

The Bucs certainly aren’t lacking impact talent at wide receiver with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin each capable of taking over games. Godwin has been dealing with a hamstring injury that kept him out for two games earlier this season. 

With Tom Brady steadying the ship at quarterback, bringing in Brown makes sense from a football perspective. He has a previous relationship with Brady from their brief time together as teammates with the New England Patriots. 

Brady is a quarterback who historically needs to trust his receivers in order to throw the ball in their direction. 

There will be concerns about what Brown might be off the field for the Buccaneers given his long list of problems over the past year. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported in March that Bucs head coach Bruce Arians didn’t have a great experience working with Brown when he was offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

If Brown returns to being the player he was at his best with the Steelers, Tampa Bay will have the best trio of wide receivers in the NFL and is in prime position to stay atop the NFC South in its quest to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.